‘Call of the wildest?’ 911 call on ‘dead’ elephant led to odd scene, CA cops say

A 911 report of a dead elephant in a yard sent officers scrambling, California police reported.

But the supposedly deceased pachyderm turned out to be a yard sculpture toppled by the wind, Palm Springs police said in a Thursday, April 3, news release.

“No tranquilizers were needed, no stampede protocols activated,” police said, calling it the “call of the wildest.”

“Just another breezy day in Palm Springs reminding us to secure your statues, especially the life-sized ones,” officers said.

A photo posted with the release shows an elephant statue leaning against a fence.

Palm Springs is about a 110-mile drive southeast from Los Angeles.

This story was originally published April 7, 2025 at 9:47 AM with the headline "‘Call of the wildest?’ 911 call on ‘dead’ elephant led to odd scene, CA cops say."