--- title: "Elephant Escapes Circus, Thunders Through Montana City" description: "An elderly elephant named Viola was found ambling through Butte, Montana on Tuesday after escaping a traveling circus." date: "2024-04-17" modified: "2024-04-17" authors: - name: "Maggie Harrison Dupré" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/mharrison" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/elephant-escapes-circus-montana" categories: - "Science & Energy" tags: - "animals" - "circus" - "nature" - "the digest" --- # Elephant Escapes Circus, Thunders Through Montana City ![An elderly elephant named Viola was found ambling through Butte, Montana on Tuesday after escaping a traveling circus.]() *\Image: Getty / Futurism\* ## Hitting the Slots An aging elephant was found ambling through Butte, Montana on Tuesday after escaping a traveling circus, [according to a report from *NBC Montana.*]() "My coworker pointed out, 'There's an elephant!' Started jumping up and down, pointing out the window," Civic Center Town Pump co-manager Josh Hannifin — who was reportedly about to "wrap hot dog buns" as the scene unfolded — told the local news outlet. "Pretty exciting," Hannifin continued. "It's not every day you see an elephant walking down Harrison Avenue in Butte, Montana." According [to *USA Today*](), the 58-year-old Asian elephant named Viola escaped her handlers at the Jordan World Circus mid-bath when a passing car backfired and spooked her. Videos [online]() show Viola promenading through halted traffic as one of her handlers chases close behind, at one point meandering toward a local gambling house. As she should! She was "kind of making her way over to the casino trying to play some slots," witness Mataya Smith told *NBC Montana*. "Having a fun time, making the best of her Butte experience." Per [*NBC*](), Viola was thankfully captured a few hours later with "no damage or injuries reported." https://twitter.com/NBCMontana/status/1780336554763788581 ## Viola Section Yesterday's disappearing act apparently wouldn't be the first time that Viola has escaped. The Jordan World Circus reportedly didn't respond to requests for comment, but folks at the animal welfare group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) told *NBC* that Viola has broken loose from her captors at least twice before — 0nce in 2010, and again in 2014. In an [email to *The Washington Post*](), PETA additionally urged potential circus goers to refrain from patronizing circuses that use elephants in performances, citing the fact that "elephants learn crucial social and behavioral skills from their mothers and other relatives, with whom they share intense emotional bonds." "Instead of experiencing all this in their natural homes," a PETA spokesperson added, "elephants used in circuses are exploited — made to do meaningless circus tricks on the road." In short, given that a circus in Montana is an extremely unnatural place for an elephant to be, Viola's escapist habit isn't terribly unsurprising. But studies have shown that [elephants like being around people](), and according to *NBC Montana*, Viola does have a mate — and the witnesses who saw the two trumpeters reunite recalled it being a wholesome moment. "She got in there and they started trumpeting at each other," Smith told NBC Montana of the elephants' reunion. "It was very adorable." **More on elephants:** [*Elephants Love Hanging out with People, Scientists Find*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've reported extensively on the rise of AI as a cultural and business force shaping the media industry, and more broadly how those dynamics are changing how we all consume and share information and relate to one another. I'm also fascinated by public health policy and ethics, the role of emerging tech in politics and governance — and the powerful people and forces at those intersections — climate change, and the environment. My investigation on Sports Illustrated's use of AI-generated authors with fictional biographies won a 2024 Mirror Award for "Best Story on Media Coverage of Artificial Intelligence in Journalism and the Media" from Syracuse University's SI Newhouse School, I contributed to Niemen Lab's 2025 Predictions for Journalism series, and I've discussed my work for Futurism during appearances on NPR, CNN, the BBC, the CBC, and more. I grew up in rural Pennsylvania and attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where I played Division I field hockey for the Minutewomen as a midfielder. Since then, I've lived in New Orleans, Louisiana and Manhattan, New York. I spend my free time running, reading, perusing archival fashion, and searching for the world’s best negroni. I also have a debonair tuxedo cat, Westley, who's named after "The Princess Bride." ### Author social links [Bluesky]()