Legacy Matters

She loved her elephants

Winkie, an elephant, had a history of attacking handlers over her 30 years at the Madison, Wisconsin zoo before he retired to the Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tennessee.

Johanna Burke quit graduate school to help animals when she found  a job at the Elephant Sanctuary where she worked for 8 years.

Winkie appeared to be stung in the eye, maybe from fire ants.  After Johanna began to water Winkie, she walked around to look at his eye.  in 45 seconds, Winkie knocked down Joanna, then stepped on her, killing her instantly.

Tearful handler: 'In 45 seconds, it was over'.

The elephant will not be euthanized though new procedures for handling elephants with post-traumatic stress disorder will be instituted.

Joanna will be buried on the grounds of the Sanctuary which said "Joanna has left her heart print on our hearts and souls.  All who loved her, elephant and human, are struggling with our loss."

R.I.P.