Toledo Zoo visitor spotted elephant trainer in distress, called for help

Toledo Zoo patron Jennifer Kohler and her family walked up to an exhibit hoping to see 4,000-pound Louie the elephant go through some training exercises, she told The Blade Friday.

What the Findlay woman ended up doing instead that July 1 afternoon was to call 911 for help after she saw an elephant trainer - Don RedFox - in distress.

"I've been in the elephant cage at the Toledo Zoo, and the zookeeper here has just fallen over. He's been attacked by an elephant. …" she told a dispatcher.

"He's all by himself, and there's nobody here. We've got people running for help, but we need an ambulance out here now."

Ms. Kohler, along with her three children and her sister, had just walked up when they saw Mr. RedFox close a gate to an inner area to secure the animal that had just attacked him.

Ashen-faced, the trainer stumbled toward the women and asked them to "call for help" and then he collapsed.

Two others who were nearby hurried off to find help.

Left at the scene with the injured man, Ms. Kohler scanned the area for a zoo official, she said Friday .

She asked Mr. RedFox, semi-conscious and still separated from her by a fence, if she should try to use his radio. She quickly decided to call 911 on her mobile phone.

Her rendition of events related to The Blade Friday - and also captured in a recorded 911 call, the full transcript of which is below - described a more serious and harrowing set of injuries than was first indicated by zoo officials.

Ms. Kohler told the 911 dispatcher that Mr. Redfox had fallen, was bleeding, and "in shock," with part of his arm nearly "broken off."

She told the 911 dispatcher that there were no other zoo officials nearby as Mr. RedFox lay injured and in serious trouble.

Mr. Redfox, 53, who is from Swanton Township, was still recovering from his injuries yesterday at University of Toledo Medical Center, formerly the Medical College of Ohio.

Zoo officials said this week that he's in serious condition.

He suffered broken ribs and two punctured lungs in the attack.

The 911 tape also confirms video images released by the zoo this week showing Mr. RedFox violated procedure by entering Louie's stall without another zoo worker.

Mr. Redfox had cared for the African elephant all of the pachyderm's life.

Zoo officials say they're still investigating the incident, which has touched off a new chapter in an old debate about elephants in captivity and how much direct interaction zookeepers or handlers should have.

Anne Baker, the zoo's executive director, said an investigation by officials and elephant expert Alan Roocroft was continuing to determine why Mr. RedFox was alone with the animal and what he was trying to accomplish.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the federal agency that enforces workplace safety rules, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which regulates some animal operations, are also investigating, Ms. Baker said.

Zoo officials still have not talked to Mr. RedFox, who is conscious but only seeing family members at the hospital, she said.

Ms. Baker said yesterday that he might be able to clear up at least some of the mystery surrounding the incident. She said she had not heard the 911 tape, but said the initial report of injuries released by the zoo came from Mr. RedFox's family. The family reported that he had a broken wrist and some broken ribs, she said.

Ms. Baker also said that there is little possibility that Mr. RedFox was going to put on a training show with Louie because it was too late in the day.

"At that time, we would have been done for the day," she said. "It is extremely unlikely that there was going to be any more demonstrations. Somewhere in there is a misunderstanding."

Ms. Baker has defended the zoo's elephant handling practices and said organizations that have criticized the zoo, such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, have no direct knowledge of how management works at the Toledo Zoo.

Experts have commented on the possible reasons why Louie might have attacked Mr. RedFox.

In the video released by the zoo, Mr. RedFox is shown entering the stall first with treats for the elephant, who challenged the keeper and forced him to leave the enclosure. Mr. RedFox then returned a few minutes later with a hooked stick to control the elephant, the video shows.

Louie crouched and turned his back to Mr. RedFox, who touched the animal's back leg with the stick.

Ms. Baker said Mr. RedFox was trying to get him to line up for training. At that point, Louie turned around and lunged toward Mr. RedFox, moving the trainer into a corner of the stall.

The elephant backed away and then attacked again.

The elephant can be seen crouching in a corner with his head and tusks down over Mr. RedFox.

After the elephant backed away again, Mr. RedFox stumbled out of the stall and can be seen falling to the floor on his way out.

July 1, 2010 at 3:52 p.m., Call comes into 911

Dispatcher: "Toledo 911"

Caller: "Ah, yes sir, I've been in the elephant cage at the Toledo Zoo, and the zookeeper here has just fallen over. He's been attacked by an elephant. Sir, this is, this is; he's all by himself, and there's nobody here, we've got people running for help, but we need an ambulance out here now."

Dispatcher: "What's your name?"

Caller: "My name is Jennifer Kohler.

Caller (yelling to Mr. RedFox). "I'm calling 911 right now sir."

Caller "I can't get to him. He's in the cage. Um, Is there anything you can recommend for me to do?"

Dispatcher: "No, Just stay out. We need your safety to be fine. We're going to get crews out there, Ok? Hang on a second."

Caller, (talking to someone else at the zoo): "Hey guys stand out the way, please, just stand over here, out the way

Dispatcher: "We need to send medical, correct?"

Caller: "Yes, please, he's bleeding. Um, it appears that his wrist has broken off. It's his hand, it's his hand."

Dispatcher: "And he's still in the cage?"

Caller: "Yes sir, he's had a lot of trauma. His hand is hanging 90-degrees from his arm. I think it's shock."

Dispatcher: "Ok"

Caller (to others at the zoo): I'm on the phone with 9-11 right now, guys.

Dispatcher: "Listen to me Jennifer. I've got everybody coming. Your phone number is --- --- ----."

Caller: "His wrist is hanging off of his arm. It looks ..."

Dispatcher: (interrupts her) I want you stay on the line. Listen to me. I've got them all coming. I'm going to transfer you over to medical dispatch. I want you to describe what's going on to them. Ok Hang on.

Caller: "The people here at the zoo just showed up."

Dispatcher: Ok, hang on.

Caller, (to others at the zoo): 911's on the way

Dispatcher, (transferring call): Toledo transferring to Toledo Zoo at the elephant cage.

Another dispatcher: "Thank you"

911 call ends

Contact Christopher D. Kirkpatrick at:

ckirkpatrick@theblade.com

or 419-724-6134.