Have You Seen This? Escaped elephant wanders through streets in Montana

An elephant who escaped the circus is seen walking down the street in Butte, Montana, on Tuesday.

An elephant who escaped the circus is seen walking down the street in Butte, Montana, on Tuesday. (Town Pump surveillance video via NBC, YouTube)


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BUTTE, Montana — A circus elephant put on a real show when she took a short stroll through town.

The pachyderm named Viola was visiting Butte, Montana, Tuesday as part of the Jordan World Circus. While getting a bath in her pen outside the civic center, a nearby vehicle backfired, NBC Montana reported.

Viola — apparently spooked by the sound — took off.

Surveillance video from a nearby gas station shows her marching through town, with a handler following close behind.

Townsfolk couldn't have been more surprised to see the elephant making her way down Harrison Avenue.

Viola didn't make it far and was corralled back into her trailer after less than 20 minutes. No one was injured.

Contributing: NBC Montana

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Linda Williams is a web producer at KSL.com, helping to select and curate the stories published on the website each day. She has had an extensive career in Utah news.
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