An Excerpt From Did Not Survive.pdf

At Finley Memorial Zoo near Vancouver, Washington, early one morning, Iris, a bird and feline keeper volunteering as a fill-in for the night shift, discovers two Asian elephant cows, Damrey and Nakri, in an uproar. The zoo is usually quiet at that hour, with no staff yet on duty. Intrigued but unsure how to help, Iris phones Sam Bates, the senior elephant keeper, about the commotion.

Upon arriving, Iris finds a man lying face down in blood-stained straw near Damrey, who is aggressively rocking and pawing at him. Nakri joins in, roaring and trying to reach the man through a gap in the stall door. Iris uses an ankus (an elephant guide) to try and deter Damrey but realizes she can't safely move the body or intervene directly.

Sam guides Iris through radio communication, instructing her to let Damrey out into the yard while keeping Nakri contained. However, Damrey reenters the stall upon closing the door, indicating a strong desire to continue interacting with the man. Sam then directs Iris to get Nakri and Damrey both into the back stall by luring them with food.

Iris successfully feeds the elephants and gets them into the back stall, but the situation remains tense as Damrey continues to exhibit aggressive behavior, suggesting she may be responsible for the man's condition.