An elephant with a reputation for being dangerous killed a handler and injured a trainer Friday at The Elephant Sanctuary in southern Tennessee, authorities said.

Winkie, a female Asian elephant, stepped on or kicked a woman handler who was killed "on the spot," said Doug Markham, a spokesman for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. A male trainer was injured when he tried to intervene.

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Opened in 1995, the nonprofit refuge on 2,700 acres about 60 miles southwest of Nashville specializes in Asian elephants. The sanctuary provides a haven for old, sick or needy elephants in a setting of pastures, forests, spring-fed ponds and a heated barn for cold winter nights, its Web site says. It also tries to educate the public about elephants.

Many of the sanctuary's elephants came from performance backgrounds. Once they arrive, they no longer are exhibited but can be seen via webcam on the sanctuary's Web site

Who Knew. I sure didn't, but if you will remember, I was shocked that northwest Tennessee had a rogue bear.

¶ 7/22/2006 07:38:00 AM