Elephant tramples zookeeper to death in Japan
Stock photo: Getty
A zookeeper has been trampled to death by an elephant at a zoo in Japan after he tried to stop the animal from attacking its newborn calf.
Police said Inthavong Khamphone, who was from Laos, had watched the elephants overnight with other keepers at Fuji Safari Park, near Mount Fuji, after the mother gave birth on Sunday.
According to the Daily Telegraph, a local police officer said: "Khamphone entered the cage with another keeper because the mother started attacking the baby. The mother then started attacking Khamphone."
It is thought Mr Khamphone died after the two-tonne elephant stood on his chest.
Mr Khamphone, 30, was an elephant specialist who had been working with pachyderms for around 15 years.
According to the Sankei Daily, he had come to Japan from Laos with the mother elephant in July last year.
Related articles
Tiger bites off boy's arm at zoo in India
Man mauled by tiger after jumping into den at New York zoo
%VIRTUAL-Gallery-152910%
Sign up to our weekly newsletterFollow us on TwitterBecome a fan on Facebook
