Publish to Newswire
Add an EventFrom the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature
Handler at The Elephant Sanctuary is killed in accident
DawnWatch: Joanna Burke, beloved member of The Elephant Sanctuary team, is killed 7/21/06
Many in the animal advocacy community have already heard the devastating news, that Joanne Burke, a handler at Carol Buckley's wonderful elephant sanctuary in Tennessee, was killed on Friday, July 21, by Winkie.
The news was in the Saturday edition of many papers and on the USA Today website. The USA Today story, headed "Elephant kills handler in Tennessee sanctuary," opens:
"A 36-year-old woman whose love for pachyderms led her from her native Maine to rural Lewis County, Tenn., was attacked and killed Friday morning at a preserve for aging elephants, authorities said.
Also, a man who handles the 22 Asian and African elephants at The Elephant Sanctuary was injured and hospitalized late Friday at Maury Regional Medical Center in Columbia, Tenn."
(At the time, their names had not been released. We now know that Joanna was killed instantly and that Scott Blais, who tried to help, has been released from the hospital with minor injuries.)
We read that Joanna, according to Doug Markham, spokesman for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, "was apparently on the side where the elephant had an injury, an eye injury."
And:
"This was not the first time Winkie, born in Burma (now called Myanmar) and captured as a calf, had tried to harm a handler. According to the sanctuary's website, the animal hurt several keepers at the Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, Wis., her former home for three decades. The organization's website indicated that Winkie had adjusted to her new home and roommates."
Joanna, one of the sanctuary's first employees, had been there for eight years.
You can read the USA Today article on line at http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-07-21-elephant-attack_x.htm?csp=34 and send a letter to editor, against capturing or breeding wild animals for human entertainment, to USA Today at http://asp.usatoday.com/marketing/feedback/feedback-online.aspx?type=18 OR http://tinyurl.com/cee7y
And if you see the story in your paper, please write, on Joanna's behalf.
On the sanctuary's website you can read a touching tribute to Joanna, see photos of her with "her girls" and read part of an email written the day before she died in which she reaffirms her commitment to her mission.
The tribute tells us:
"Joanna made it perfectly clear in word and deed that no harm should come to any elephant no matter their action. She shared the Sanctuary’s philosophy that Winkie will not be punished for her actions but managed in a way that keeps another innocent caregiver out of harm's way. "
And:
"Joanna’s wish was to be buried on Sanctuary grounds; on the land that inspired her, with the elephants that she loved so dearly. Joanna’s human family will arrive on Saturday to be with her friends and elephant family. More information will be provided when burial arrangements have been made. More information regarding Winkie and the circumstances surrounding this tragic accident will be released shortly.
"Joanna has left her heart print on our hearts and on our souls. All who loved her, elephant and human, are struggling with our loss."
Go to http://elephants.com/pr/joanna_burke.htm for more.
(DawnWatch is an animal advocacy media watch that looks at animal issues in the media and facilitates one-click responses to the relevant media outlets. You can learn more about it, and sign up for alerts at http://www.DawnWatch.com. You are encouraged to forward or reprint DawnWatch alerts but please do so unedited -- leave DawnWatch in the title and include this tag line.)
The news was in the Saturday edition of many papers and on the USA Today website. The USA Today story, headed "Elephant kills handler in Tennessee sanctuary," opens:
"A 36-year-old woman whose love for pachyderms led her from her native Maine to rural Lewis County, Tenn., was attacked and killed Friday morning at a preserve for aging elephants, authorities said.
Also, a man who handles the 22 Asian and African elephants at The Elephant Sanctuary was injured and hospitalized late Friday at Maury Regional Medical Center in Columbia, Tenn."
(At the time, their names had not been released. We now know that Joanna was killed instantly and that Scott Blais, who tried to help, has been released from the hospital with minor injuries.)
We read that Joanna, according to Doug Markham, spokesman for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, "was apparently on the side where the elephant had an injury, an eye injury."
And:
"This was not the first time Winkie, born in Burma (now called Myanmar) and captured as a calf, had tried to harm a handler. According to the sanctuary's website, the animal hurt several keepers at the Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, Wis., her former home for three decades. The organization's website indicated that Winkie had adjusted to her new home and roommates."
Joanna, one of the sanctuary's first employees, had been there for eight years.
You can read the USA Today article on line at http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-07-21-elephant-attack_x.htm?csp=34 and send a letter to editor, against capturing or breeding wild animals for human entertainment, to USA Today at http://asp.usatoday.com/marketing/feedback/feedback-online.aspx?type=18 OR http://tinyurl.com/cee7y
And if you see the story in your paper, please write, on Joanna's behalf.
On the sanctuary's website you can read a touching tribute to Joanna, see photos of her with "her girls" and read part of an email written the day before she died in which she reaffirms her commitment to her mission.
The tribute tells us:
"Joanna made it perfectly clear in word and deed that no harm should come to any elephant no matter their action. She shared the Sanctuary’s philosophy that Winkie will not be punished for her actions but managed in a way that keeps another innocent caregiver out of harm's way. "
And:
"Joanna’s wish was to be buried on Sanctuary grounds; on the land that inspired her, with the elephants that she loved so dearly. Joanna’s human family will arrive on Saturday to be with her friends and elephant family. More information will be provided when burial arrangements have been made. More information regarding Winkie and the circumstances surrounding this tragic accident will be released shortly.
"Joanna has left her heart print on our hearts and on our souls. All who loved her, elephant and human, are struggling with our loss."
Go to http://elephants.com/pr/joanna_burke.htm for more.
(DawnWatch is an animal advocacy media watch that looks at animal issues in the media and facilitates one-click responses to the relevant media outlets. You can learn more about it, and sign up for alerts at http://www.DawnWatch.com. You are encouraged to forward or reprint DawnWatch alerts but please do so unedited -- leave DawnWatch in the title and include this tag line.)
Add Your Comments
§title?
i just read about joanna burke's fatal accident. although it was a tragic accident, i hope the local authorities didn't kill the elephant, or shut down the sanctuary. they are doing a noble cause.10/01/06
Add a Comment
§Elephants in Captivity
It is, indeed, very sad about the tragic accident that took Joanna from the life that she loved so much, and for the elephants who will miss her devotion and loving care. The fact that her life was ended by a blow from Winkie, whom Joanna loved so very much and had cared for, for 6 years, only compounds the sadness. In turn Winkie loved Joanna so very much and Scott is perhaps Winkie's favorite human. Winkie has had a very difficult life up to the time that she came to the sanctuary and suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, a common ailment of captive elephants. Winkie acted out, she did not think about what would happen from her actions, though after the incident, Winkie went into a deep depression that lasted for days. Though she was calm and showed no additional signs of agression, she was not eating, interacting with her caregivers or the other elephants. Her dear friend Sissy remained by her side to help Winkie through her grieving...after the fact, Winkie knew what she had done to Joanna and Scott, and she was upset by her own actions. I got this information from The Elephant Sanctuary website, and it has truly reinforced my belief that elephants should never be taken from their families in the wild and that we have no right to place them into circuses or zoos. The Elephant Sanctuary has made a wonderful home for all of the dangerous, sick and elderly elephants that have been blessed to be placed in their care, to live out their remaining days in the freedom that each elephant deserves and to experience the right to make choices for themselves about their activities and their life. For anyone who wishes to read more about The Elephant Sanctuary or to have the great pleasure of watching the elephants there on the Elecam, please visit their website. Since my first visit there, I have fallen in love with all of the elephants and I have wept while reading the life stories of each of them.
Add a Comment
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!
Donate
$140.00 donated
in the past month
Get Involved
If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us.
Publish
Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay.
Topics
More
Search Indybay's Archives
Advanced Search
►
▼
IMC Network