Elephants fight at Ohio zoo

COLUMBUS, Ohio, July 2 (UPI) -- Officials at Ohio's Columbus Zoo and Aquarium said a fight between two female elephants was the result of a disagreement about disciplining a young herd member.

Dusty Lombardi, the zoo's director of living collections, said Phoebe, mother of 3-year-old Beco, was disciplining her son Sunday and his "aunt," Connie, did not approve of the punishment and fought with Phoebe, The Columbus Dispatch reported Monday.

"It's 100 percent normal behavior that we'll always see with females and a young male," Lombardi said. "What made it noticeable was that Phoebe had broken her tusk in April, it hasn't healed and there was some blood."

He said the elephants were separated for a short time and were reunited once they were found to be free of serious injuries.

"Beco knows how to play Connie and Phoebe, just like a human kid," Lombardi said. "He's a punk. But we want him to be. It's healthy for him."