Muddy weather soils elephant plans

SAN ANDREAS, Calif., Feb. 5 (UPI) -- The Performing Animal Welfare Society sanctuary in northern California says muddy weather is preventing a new African elephant from being brought into the pen.

PAWS Officials said the mud is the last remaining obstacle to introducing Maggie, an elephant who was brought to the sanctuary three months ago from the Alaska Zoo, to the other four elephants at the sanctuary, the Anchorage Daily News reported Tuesday.

Record rainfall in San Andreas, Calif., caused the muddy conditions at the sanctuary.

"We worry about the mud, Maggie slipping in the mud, falling down, and all the others getting excited," sanctuary founder Pat Derby said.

Derby said it may be a couple of weeks before the ground is dry enough to allow Maggie to cross the fence into the pen with the other elephants. However, in the meantime, they will be allowed to contact one another by touching trunks through the fence, Derby said.