Stranded elephants rejoin circus

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OMSK, Russia, Dec. 17 (UPI) -- The director of a Polish circus said two elephants stranded in the Russian cold when a truck caught fire are back and rehearsing for their next show.

The Asian elephants, ages 45 and 48, were stranded at the side of a Siberian highway while traveling from Novokuznetsk to Omsk when the diesel engine heating the cargo section of the truck carrying the elephants caused some hay in the vehicle to catch fire, RIA Novosti reported Monday.

The elephants, which were made to jog at the side of the road to keep from freezing and were later given vodka in a heated garage, suffered minor frostbite to their ears in the minus 40 degree weather. Minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit equals minus 40 degrees Celsius.

The animals have now rejoined the circus in Omsk and are preparing for their next show.

"The elephants have arrived and started rehearsing. Their first performance is scheduled for Dec. 22," circus director Yelena Agafonova said.