Usually when there’s a traffic jam it’s because there are road-works or an accident ahead, but that isn’t always the case.

Recently in West Midland Safari Park, Worcs, motorists driving through the animal enclosure had their root blocked by a five and a half ton (about 785 stone) elephant.

Twenty year old pachyderm, Five, must have decided that enough was enough and it was time for a rest on the nice soft…tarmac.

The head keeper said, “There was a bit of a traffic jam which lasted a fair amount of time as Five was out for the count and there are rocks along the road to stop drivers leaving the track.

“I think the sun was getting a bit too much for him and he simply had no energy left and just settled down where he was.

“When I arrived there was a queue of traffic forming and it just got bigger – he's a bit of a character so I'm not surprised he decided to crash out on a road.

“When he eventually woke up I don't think he knew what all the fuss was about. There was a big cheer and he just wandered off looking for somewhere else to sleep.

“We all had a good laugh about it for the rest of the day.”

Well, they did come to see animals. They probably didn’t think they’d be seeing so much of one flank of one elephant for the majority of the visit though.

Labels: accident, animal, driving, elephant, motorist, road-works, tarmac, traffic jam, West Midlands Safari Park