A PH from RSA told me that the animals in this movie have been drugged, a couple of them didn`t survive this funny act, which caused a big uproar in South Africa at the time. Besides, some scientists doubt that it is possible for an elephant to get drunk from overripe marula fruits. They figured the elephant has to eat several tons of fruit to get the neccessary level of alcohol to show the funny effects.
Just what I have heard.