Elephant Goes Swimming, 'Window-Shopping' In Zurich (VIDEO)

An escaped circus elephant roamed the rainy streets of downtown Zurich yesterday evening for an hour before Swiss police and animal specialists apprehended her.

Sabu, a 26-year-old female on the run from Zircus Knie, took a quick dip in Lake Zurich before making her way through the Bahnhofstrasse, a main thoroughfare in the heart of the city's commercial and banking district. After sauntering past the Credit Suisse Group AG and UBS AG banking headquarters, she was re-captured without incident, and no injuries were reported, police said in a statement.

Comments

[Lefty83]

12:35 AM on 06/14/2010

For a minute I thought Sarah palin made a trip to Switzerland

[pene]

03:27 PM on 06/13/2010

i'm sorry but that was just the worst video...it was not worth viewing.

[LogicalMathMan]

01:14 PM on 06/13/2010

Who woulda thunk it? Two elephant stories in 3 days, although on opposite sides of a spectrum - one roaming free in natural habitat and the other taking a time out to take care of 'bidness' and ME time.

[evagorman]

03:58 AM on 06/10/2010

Poor thing. I couldn't even watch it. I hate that these large, intelligent, generally gentle creatures are used this way and are so far from home and the chance to live a "normal" elephant life.

As another commenter said, this type of entertainment is so outdated.

[Power2Truth]

04:05 AM on 06/15/2010

There are very many small circuses in Europe with animals living in deplorable conditions.

[Momklok]

04:22 PM on 06/09/2010

That was the lamest video I've seen in a while. Why was it even posted? There is nothing.

[JTHC75]

02:33 PM on 06/09/2010

Well, what's a girl to do when her boyfriend says her skin's looking a bit saggy?

She just needed a "Me" day: a dip in the pool and lap around the shopping district.

[LMPE]

02:31 PM on 06/09/2010

I always warned people that Republicans - the elephant - can't be trusted.

[seachange525]

12:56 PM on 06/09/2010

I guess she was just planning to put her bags in the trunk :)

[LogicalMathMan]

01:11 PM on 06/13/2010

LOL....good use of a pun.

[seachange525]

02:20 PM on 06/13/2010

Thanks! THat's high praise, especially coming from a MathMan! I thought it was only we literary types whose brains worked this way... :)

[in vivo]

11:35 PM on 06/08/2010

Traditional circuses are very outdated. I would like to think that most people understand how destructive, cruel and unnecessary it is to keep these intelligent animals captive for the majority of their lives. Elephants have self-awareness, a quality only highly intelligent animals possess. Until recently, it was believed that only higher primates had self-awareness.

Wanna see the circus? Three words: Cirque du Soleil. It's much more artistic than traditional circuses and, best of all, they don't use animals!

[GirlUsingBrain]

07:07 PM on 06/09/2010

Cosign and well said.

[sadwolf1]

09:42 PM on 06/09/2010

It is so sad to see elephants performing at the circus or the large amusement park s.Even sadder when you see how they discipline em.

[August Otto]

10:04 PM on 06/08/2010

"The circus is a place where horses, ponies and elephants are permitted to see men, women and children acting the fool."

~Ambrose Bierce

[johnnygoodwud]

06:30 PM on 06/08/2010

wow that was really exciting

[KIVPossum]

04:27 PM on 06/08/2010

Elephant goes wandering for an hour and That's the best pictures they got?

[amber15]

03:58 PM on 06/08/2010

poor elephant,
I HATE circuses and the prison these elephants have to live in.

[cef911f1]

09:30 PM on 06/08/2010

Me too! I love elephants. What a noble creature. It's a pity they are the symbol of the Republican Party.

[GirlUsingBrain]

07:12 PM on 06/09/2010

Me too! My photo is an elephant but I am no republican. I took this photo in Namibia.

Recommendation: If you are ever in Nairobi, visit the David Sheldrick Trust. It is an orphaned baby elephant rescue organization. You actually can meet and interact with baby elephants. They are like mischievious little children and a great deal of fun! They are taught how to be elephants and are released back into the wild when they graduate.

Visit their website, you will be glad you did!

[amber15]

12:39 AM on 06/10/2010

Wow!
what a beautiful website and an amazing organization. I think I've seen this woman on 60 minutes or another org. like this. How in the world anyone can use these beautiful creatures as a cash product is beyond me.

Thanks for the info......

[binq56]

11:49 PM on 06/10/2010

Watched a couple of young elephants yesterday at the zoo playing in the water for hours. Swimming and rough-housing just like a couple of human kids. SO sweet. Don't love zoos, but this one in St. Louis at least has large tracks and family units. I so want to go to Africa and see them in the wild.

[Totto]

03:46 PM on 06/08/2010

"A Rainy Day, In Zurich Town". . . .

[Diogenis]

01:56 PM on 06/08/2010

didn't want you to feel lonely...... Cool elephant.