Elephants escape circus in Russia to play in the snow

Jan. 24 (UPI) -- A pair of elephants escaped from a circus in Russia and caused some traffic delays while playing in the snow.

The Yekaterinburg Circus said in an Instagram post that Asian elephants Carla, 45, and Roni, 50, were being taken for a walk outside before they were due to be driven to St. Petersburg for an Italian Circus show hosted by the Bolshoi State St. Petersburg Circus when they pulled free from their handlers.

Video captured by witnesses shows the elephants rolling and playing in the snow while their handlers attempt unsuccessfully to coax them back toward the circus building.

"The elephants have their own character and emotions, they are very smart," the Instagram post said. "They walked outside and got very happy from seeing the snow, the trees and the pedestrians whom they took for spectators. Roni stayed by one of the trees while Carla walked towards a pile of snow."

A road was blocked to prevent the elephants from getting into confrontations with moving vehicles.

The elephants were eventually led back to the circus building and loaded into a transport vehicle for the trip to St. Petersburg.