On Tuesday, February 23, 2021, an elephant killed a zookeeper by hitting him around the head with its trunk before slamming him into the bars of a cage. Joaquin Gutierrez Arnaiz, 44, was struck by a female elephant while cleaning its enclosure at the Cabarceno Natural Park near Santander, Spain. It is thought the blow knocked the care taker backward and he hit his head against the pen's iron bars, the Cantabrian regional government has said. He was rushed to hospital after being assisted by two colleagues but died around three hours later.
Arnaiz had been on duty when he received a single strike from the elephant weighing more than four metric tones. The elephant that struck him had a foot infection and is likely pregnant, according to a statement by tourism chief Javier Lopez Marcano.
Marcano, paying tribute to Joaquin who started working at Cabarceno in 2002, described him as one of its most veteran elephant keepers. He added: 'We are deeply shocked. The loss of such a young and popular person has caused great pain. 'He was a great lover of elephants and his work.'
Arnaiz's bosses confirmed in a statement: 'A worker at the Cabarceno Natural Park has died after being hit by one of the elephants.
'The accident occurred at 8.30am on Tuesday outside the stables of the pachyderms as daily cleaning and release of the animals began. Joaquin Gutierrez Arnaiz, 44, was in an intermediate security corridor the elephants use to enter and exit their stables in an orderly fashion when he was hit by the elephant's trunk. The elephant is a female who was with her calf in one of the large yards. Joaquin hit his head against the enclosure railings as he fell'.
'Two colleagues who were with him dialled 999 and Joaquin was transferred to hospital by ambulance. He died at 11.15am. Police and Civil Guard have been to the park and initiated an investigation to clarify the cause of the accident.
It has been described as the 'first fatal accident' of its kind in the park's 30-year history.
*Note: If anyone has obituary information, Date of Birth or burial information, I will be glad to add it to his bio...John-Landen's Papa
Arnaiz had been on duty when he received a single strike from the elephant weighing more than four metric tones. The elephant that struck him had a foot infection and is likely pregnant, according to a statement by tourism chief Javier Lopez Marcano.
Marcano, paying tribute to Joaquin who started working at Cabarceno in 2002, described him as one of its most veteran elephant keepers. He added: 'We are deeply shocked. The loss of such a young and popular person has caused great pain. 'He was a great lover of elephants and his work.'
Arnaiz's bosses confirmed in a statement: 'A worker at the Cabarceno Natural Park has died after being hit by one of the elephants.
'The accident occurred at 8.30am on Tuesday outside the stables of the pachyderms as daily cleaning and release of the animals began. Joaquin Gutierrez Arnaiz, 44, was in an intermediate security corridor the elephants use to enter and exit their stables in an orderly fashion when he was hit by the elephant's trunk. The elephant is a female who was with her calf in one of the large yards. Joaquin hit his head against the enclosure railings as he fell'.
'Two colleagues who were with him dialled 999 and Joaquin was transferred to hospital by ambulance. He died at 11.15am. Police and Civil Guard have been to the park and initiated an investigation to clarify the cause of the accident.
It has been described as the 'first fatal accident' of its kind in the park's 30-year history.
*Note: If anyone has obituary information, Date of Birth or burial information, I will be glad to add it to his bio...John-Landen's Papa
On Tuesday, February 23, 2021, an elephant killed a zookeeper by hitting him around the head with its trunk before slamming him into the bars of a cage. Joaquin Gutierrez Arnaiz, 44, was struck by a female elephant while cleaning its enclosure at the Cabarceno Natural Park near Santander, Spain. It is thought the blow knocked the care taker backward and he hit his head against the pen's iron bars, the Cantabrian regional government has said. He was rushed to hospital after being assisted by two colleagues but died around three hours later.
Arnaiz had been on duty when he received a single strike from the elephant weighing more than four metric tones. The elephant that struck him had a foot infection and is likely pregnant, according to a statement by tourism chief Javier Lopez Marcano.
Marcano, paying tribute to Joaquin who started working at Cabarceno in 2002, described him as one of its most veteran elephant keepers. He added: 'We are deeply shocked. The loss of such a young and popular person has caused great pain. 'He was a great lover of elephants and his work.'
Arnaiz's bosses confirmed in a statement: 'A worker at the Cabarceno Natural Park has died after being hit by one of the elephants.
'The accident occurred at 8.30am on Tuesday outside the stables of the pachyderms as daily cleaning and release of the animals began. Joaquin Gutierrez Arnaiz, 44, was in an intermediate security corridor the elephants use to enter and exit their stables in an orderly fashion when he was hit by the elephant's trunk. The elephant is a female who was with her calf in one of the large yards. Joaquin hit his head against the enclosure railings as he fell'.
'Two colleagues who were with him dialled 999 and Joaquin was transferred to hospital by ambulance. He died at 11.15am. Police and Civil Guard have been to the park and initiated an investigation to clarify the cause of the accident.
It has been described as the 'first fatal accident' of its kind in the park's 30-year history.
*Note: If anyone has obituary information, Date of Birth or burial information, I will be glad to add it to his bio...John-Landen's Papa
Arnaiz had been on duty when he received a single strike from the elephant weighing more than four metric tones. The elephant that struck him had a foot infection and is likely pregnant, according to a statement by tourism chief Javier Lopez Marcano.
Marcano, paying tribute to Joaquin who started working at Cabarceno in 2002, described him as one of its most veteran elephant keepers. He added: 'We are deeply shocked. The loss of such a young and popular person has caused great pain. 'He was a great lover of elephants and his work.'
Arnaiz's bosses confirmed in a statement: 'A worker at the Cabarceno Natural Park has died after being hit by one of the elephants.
'The accident occurred at 8.30am on Tuesday outside the stables of the pachyderms as daily cleaning and release of the animals began. Joaquin Gutierrez Arnaiz, 44, was in an intermediate security corridor the elephants use to enter and exit their stables in an orderly fashion when he was hit by the elephant's trunk. The elephant is a female who was with her calf in one of the large yards. Joaquin hit his head against the enclosure railings as he fell'.
'Two colleagues who were with him dialled 999 and Joaquin was transferred to hospital by ambulance. He died at 11.15am. Police and Civil Guard have been to the park and initiated an investigation to clarify the cause of the accident.
It has been described as the 'first fatal accident' of its kind in the park's 30-year history.
*Note: If anyone has obituary information, Date of Birth or burial information, I will be glad to add it to his bio...John-Landen's Papa
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