An elephant died and several others ended up loose on a Spanish motorway after the circus lorry they were in overturned today.
Police had to close the A30 in Pozo Canada near Albacete south east of Madrid after the extraordinary crash.
Motorists filmed the animals strolling towards waste ground and feeding by the side of the road.
The dead animal was removed from a ditch by the side of the motorway where its body ended up following the drama around 4pm.
The scene of the horror: The lorry is left mangled after the crash which spilled the elephants out onto the carriageway
Two bloodied elephants walk across the busy dual carriageway which had to be closed by the police as motorists watch in amazement from a distance
It is thought this elephant died after collapsing into a ditch on the side of the road after the crash
An elephant is hoisted into the back of a truck. It is thought this is the elephant which passed away
Motorists and police officers stand by in amazement at the sight of injured elephants grazing on the roadside after the crash
Police released pictures of the elephants appearing to feed on grass by crash barriers before being led to a safer area.
They revealed, in a tweet which they probably never thought they would have to write and is unlikely to be repeated: ‘The A30 has been closed because a lorry has overturned. Elephants are loose on the tarmac.
‘The motorway has been closed around the Pozo Canada area heading towards Murcia.’
Spain’s Road Safety Authority the DGT confirmed one of the elephants had died in the incident.
Four other animals, who like the lorry driver escaped with their lives, were travelling in the vehicle.
Two of the four-legged survivors are said to have suffered injuries although it was not immediately clear how serious they were.
DGT spokesman Gregorio Serrano said: ‘The elephants injured in the accident that has happened in Albacete are being assisted and removed.
‘Of the five animals one has died and two have been injured.
‘Shortly the A30 will be reopened.’
One stunned motorist, who filmed the animals wandering around on the tarmac seconds after the accident, said in a running commentary over his home-made video: ‘Accident on the A30 motorway near Albacete.
‘A circus lorry has overturned. Four elephants are loose and one looks in a very bad way. I’m not sure if it’s dead or not.’
Silvia Barquero, the president of Spanish animal welfare political party PACMA, said the animals belonged to the Gottani Circus, which has performed several shows in the area over Easter.
An elephant’s head is left battered by the crash as another animal can be seen in the background near a rescue worker
The lorry, seen here, was left completely mangled by the elephants flopping out of the cargo hold
She tweeted: ‘The lorry that has overturned was carrying Circo Gottani elephants. Show them more kindness.
‘We treat animals like slaves. Enough of circuses that use animals.’
There was no immediate response from the circus owners.
The accident is believed to have happened after the HGV they were in overtook another vehicle and the driver lost control as he headed back into the slow lane.
Civil Guard officers will now send a report on the accident to a local investigating judge who will be tasked with a routine probe into the incident