ROME — Police in Rome scoured security footage Wednesday to identify who snapped off the tip of the left tusk from the city’s beloved elephant statue by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. The 4-inch marble piece, found near Piazza della Minerva over the weekend, dates to a 1977 restoration, not the original 17th-century Baroque masterpiece.

This marks the second such incident for the monument. Vandals broke the same replacement tip in 2016, according to Rome city hall records. Officers confirmed the fragment’s non-original status through initial analysis and now seek suspects captured on nearby cameras.

The stocky elephant, perched in front of the Basilica of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, carries a small Egyptian obelisk on its back. Pope Alexander VII commissioned Bernini in 1667 after Dominican friars unearthed the obelisk in their convent grounds. The sculpture draws crowds of tourists daily, steps from the Pantheon.

Bernini clashed with the friars over the design. He argued the elephant’s four legs could support the obelisk’s weight alone. The friars demanded a stone brace under its belly for stability. They prevailed, creating the pachyderm’s signature squat appearance — short legs splayed wide, belly nearly scraping the ground.

Rome residents and visitors alike dubbed it ‘Minerva’s Piglet’ for its porcine profile. Legend holds that Bernini got the last laugh by orienting the elephant’s rear toward the friars’ convent, tail raised in cheeky defiance.

City officials expressed alarm at the repeated damage to this cultural treasure. ‘We’re treating this as potential vandalism and urge anyone with information to come forward,’ a police spokesperson said. Restoration experts will assess the statue once the probe concludes, though no timeline was given.

The elephant has endured centuries of admiration and occasional mischief. In 2016, after the first breakage, authorities quickly repaired it using period-appropriate marble. Police hope camera reviews yield quick results this time around.

Bernini’s work anchors Rome’s Baroque legacy. His flair for drama shines in the elephant’s playful posture, blending ancient Egyptian elements with 17th-century wit. The obelisk atop it, dating to 1500 B.C., adds layers of history to the ensemble.

Tourist foot traffic remains heavy despite the incident. Visitors snapped photos Wednesday, many unaware of the fresh damage high on the tusk. Rome’s cultural heritage office monitors the site closely, part of broader efforts to protect the Eternal City’s 2,000-plus fountains and statues from wear and deliberate harm.