S'pore expels wild elephant from zoo

S'pore expels wild elephant from zoo

SINGAPORE (AFP): A bull elephant which tossed and gored its trainer in a unprovoked attack in July will be donated to an overseas wildlife park for safety reasons, the Singapore zoo said on Friday.

"Staff safety comes first ... and Chawang (the elephant) poses a threat to our keepers," a spokesman said.

"The attack happened this once but once is already too many. There is always a possibility of it happening again."

He said the zoo decided against putting down Chawang, a four- ton Asian elephant which has been with the zoo for 18 years, as it was "not ethical".

The trainer underwent surgery three times and was in the intensive care unit of a Singapore hospital for a month. He is now recovering.