A trainer has serious injuries after being attacked by an elephant at African Lion Safari. Emergency workers were called to the Cooper Road property in Flamborough around 2:10 p.m. The trainer, who is described as a man in his 30s, was airlifted to Hamilton General Hospital by an Ornge Air Ambulance. The Ministry of Labour has been called in to investigate the incident. This isn’t the first time a trainer has been injured by an elephant at the park. In 1992, a 14-year-old was performing a routine in front of a crowd of approximately 1,000 people when one elephant hit him with her trunk, while another rushed forward and trampled him. The teen was treated for a broken leg. The park’s president, who was also the teen's uncle, said at the time: “This was a one-off occurrence. Nothing that could have been forseen, and of course, working with animals is risky at the best of times.” Another handler was killed in 1989 after he was crushed to death by a bull elephant named Tusko. The man was attacked while trying to break up a fight between Tusko and another elephant. The African Lion Safari says they maintain one ofhte most successful conservation programs for Asian elephants in North America. The park is currently home to 16 of the endangered species.
