It sounds like a plot point from some comedy farce: A circus elephant wounded in a drive-by shooting.
But it actually happened in Tupelo, Mississippi.
Carol the elephant is expected to make a full recovery. She's part of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey circus. The bullet hit the 39-year-old Asian elephant in the neck between her shoulder and ear.
Ringling Bros. has moved Carol to its circus farm in Springfield, Missouri to complete her recovery. Trainer Catherine Carden appeared on "Starting Point" this morning, with Carol in the background, to discuss new security measures the circus is taking after the incident and the latest in Carol's recovery.
Sea World trainers are preparing to get back in the water with killer whales after being removed from all water activity with the animals following a deadly incident in 2010 when trainer Dawn Brancheau drowned after a giant orca pulled her into a pool.
Just last week, footage was released from a separate 26 incident that shows the killer whale "Kasatka" dragging her trainer Ken Peters underwater for several minutes before letting him go.
A series of dangerous incidents has resulted in disciplinary action against Sea World from the occupational safety and health administration (OSHA).
The park has vowed to revamp its safety measures and it's letting a select group of trainers reenter the water with the whales, but only to give them medical attention.
A new book, "Death at Sea World: Shamu and the Dark Side of Killer Whales in Captivity" claims that safety is only part of the problem. Author David Kirby joins Starting Point this morning to explain why he thinks that keeping killer whales in captivity should be phased out.
"At one point it benefited society," Kirby explains. "But we now know that [the whales] are so intelligent and free ranging that they are particularly unsuited to captivity."
Buz Marthaler with the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah on golden eagle 'Phoenix's' story of survival.
Columbia Zoo's Tom Stalf on the return of exotic animals to their owner's widow after a bizarre escape last year.
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