Images showing a pair of elephants strolling around a park in the Siberian city of Kemerovo have made quite a splash on social media.

The animals didn’t escape from a traveling circus, which might seem like the most logical explanation. Instead, they were DELIBERATELY RELEASED or rather taken for a walk by circus staff to get some publicity, the administrators claimed.

Если вам скажут, что в Сибири под окнами ходят медведи- не верьте! Тут ходят слоны #Кемерово#Сибирь#Слоныpic.twitter.com/cNHZTKeIo6 — Та самая, КАТрин (@Katrin_9412) October 18, 2018

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However, some people have doubts about this version of events. You don’t usually run around after an animal you took for a walk, shouting “Stop!” But that is precisely what one of the circus workers was filmed doing.

Eventually, both elephants were caught and escorted back to their cages.

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