Calgary zookeeper recovering after being injured by elephant

Asenior elephant keeper at the Calgary Zoo was at home recovering Monday,a day after being injured by one ofthe facility's five Asian elephants, officials say.

Brent Vanhooft, 48, was knocked down by Swarna, a 34-year-old female elephant, according to release issued by the zoo.

Vanhooft, who has worked with thezoo's elephants for 20 years, was bumped into a wall in the public viewing area of the facility's Elephant Crossing building.

He was sent to hospital with cuts and bruises on his face.

The zoo said Vanhooft was pushed from behind while cleaning the floor in the area where Swarna was standing.

Swarna was with a nine-month-old elephant calf named Malti at the time of the incident, along with Malti's mother Maharani.

Officials said Swarna had developed a strong attachment to the calf in recent months and might have thought Vanhooft was posing a threat.

"Swarna has elected herself as a bit of a protector of the herd, and it is possible she perceived a non-existent threat," Cathy Gaviller, the zoo's director of conservation, education and research, said in the release.

Zoo officialssaid they are reviewing the incident, stressing it took place in a secured part of the building, meaning the public was never at risk.

Sunday's incident was the latest ina series of problems for the Calgary Zoo, which saw 40 stingrays mysteriously die a week ago. Zoo officials continue to probe the deaths, and said three surviving stingrays are doing well.

Zookeepers are also keeping an eye on a baby western lowland gorilla born Thursday morning.