European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 28, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Trapeze artists perform a feat of daring. Below children hitch a ride after the show ends. Climbing in the ring with a pack of wild beasts continued from Page 3 know him. Then it s about an hour of serious training each Clay. Bizzarro admits to being a Tad concerned when he s inside the Cage with the tigers. Quot you re always scared. You have to remember a they re still wild animals. And a Tiger knows exactly How Strong he  though elephants May be just As Strong As tigers elephant Trainer Evelyn Althoff says she s not worried when she s surrounded by her pack of five african beasts. She s had them since they were about 1 it to 2 years old and although they re now 12 to 15, she says they re still her  unlike Bizzarro Althoff did t grow up in the circus she married into it. She was a bagpipe player in a scottish folklore group in 1969 when she met her husband Giovanni the current director of circus Althoff. One Day she says Giovanni thought it would be a Good idea for her to also have an act in the circus. Quot my husband said to me you know Little african elephants a they would t be bad for you Quot it takes about six months to a year of training before the elephants Are ready for the show. Althoff says that since the elephants come from the wilds of Central Africa a they were orphaned babies that had been brought to an animal Reserve after their mothers had been shot a they need to first get accustomed to human beings. Then they begin their training they learn to sit on their Hind legs spin around crawl on their Knees and walk across bars. As with the tigers training takes a lot of patience and even More food. Elephants Are vegetarians and eat carrots sugar bread fruit Oats Hay and Straw a and lots of All of them. All that food does t necessarily satisfy the elephants a especially one named Samba. During the finale of one performance Samba who consumes just about anything snatched a handbag from a hotel worker sitting in the audience and proceeded to Swallow it. Among the devoured contents were 47 keys needed to operate the backstage with the elephants the circus performers get a bite to eat during intermission