Elephant Conservationist Crushed to Death by Elephant

An elephant conservationist from Maine, who dedicated his life to caring for these majestic mammals, was ironically crushed to death Tuesday when one of the animals accidentally stepped on him, according to police reports.

Jim Laurita, 56, founder of the non-profit group Hope Elephants, was found dead Tuesday morning in Hope, Maine, presumably killed by the very elephants he was caring for. Laurita appeared to have fallen and hit his head on a cement floor as he was routinely tending to the animals.

"The elephant was not aggressive in any way. It was clearly an accident," Mark Belserene, administrator for the state medical examiner's office, told The Associated Press (AP).

He added that the official cause of death is "asphyxiation and multiple fractures caused by compression of the chest."

Despite the tragedy and irony of the incident, those who knew Laurita and were "deeply saddened" by his death do not deny that his love for these animals endured until the very end.

A statement on the website Hope Elephants, said, "Jim's passion for all animals, especially elephants, was boundless. It was Jim's ability (to) share that passion with all around him that not only helped to make our organization a reality, but also enriched and enhanced the lives of all those who had a chance to know Jim."

Laurita co-founded Hope Elephants with his brother Todd in 2011, dedicated to taking retied circus elephants that were either old or injured. The duo offered the animals medical care, physical therapy and nutritional support, as well as had educational programs for adults and children to inspire wildlife conservation.

Two elephants currently at the sanctuary are Rosie and Opal, both Asian elephants, which are slightly smaller than their more famous African elephant cousins. Though, they are still the Earth's largest land mammal, weighing anywhere from two to five tons and standing at six to nine feet tall, according to National Geographic.