Undercover video by non-profit organisation reveals cruel treatment of elephants
>
Shocking undercover footage has revealed elephants showing signs of trauma as they are stabbed with hooks or nails and left with their legs chained together at Thai tourist attractions.
The organisation Lady Freethinker (LFT), based in Los Angeles, conducted the investigation in August 2022.
Footage taken by one of their investigators shows animal abuse and mistreatment at each of the centres.
The elephants are at the mercy of workers at the tourist attractions, who are seen carrying bull hooks.
LFT’s investigation discovered that the animals were visibly distressed and displaying signs of zoochosis, a behaviour found in animals in captivity.
They were swaying, bobbing and pacing in much of the footage while another elephant had a wound on her cheek and a tear stain underneath her eye.
The organisation Lady Freethinker (LFT) , based in Los Angeles, conducted the investigation in August 2022. Pictured: Some of the chained elephants at one of the tourist attractions
An elephant at one of the tourist attractions is seen chained up behind a fence. The mistreatment was uncovered by LFT
The investigator also took a photograph of one of the nails used by the workers at the tourist attractions to stab the elephants
An elephant looks directly at the camera in another image taken during the investigation (pictured)
Also in the video, a baby elephant called Saan Suay was seen meeting a tourist and grabbed their shirt by her trunk.
As punishment, one of the workers at the centre smacked her with a bull hook handle twice.
The calf was seen backing away after the incident. Later, Saan Suay had a nail jabbed into her side multiple times and was seen swaying from side to side.
Saan Suay was born at Khao Kheow Zoo months ago and seen tucking into her favourite fruit and vegetables in front of news cameras along with eight other elephants.
But LFT’s investigation has revealed a shocking reality behind the scenes, where elephants are also kept on short and heavy chains and cannot move.
Another elephant had a wound on her cheek and a tear stain underneath her eye (pictured)
People sit on elephants that have chains around their necks and chairs attached to them at one of the tourist attractions in Thailand (pictured)
Pictured: Elephants chained to the spot stand in their own waste in Thailand. They are unable to move either way as they are chained up
The investigation also revealed a baby feeding from their mother while in chains at one of the tourist attractions
An elephant is seen with chains around their neck as they stand in one of the tourist attractions in Thailand that was found to mistreat them
Pictured: Elephants chained to the spot are seen in Thailand as one of the men looking after them sits and holds onto a bull hook
Also in the video, a baby elephant called Saan Suay was seen meeting a tourist and grabbed their shirt by her trunk. As punishment, one of the workers at the centre smacked her with a bull hook handle twice
Later, Saan Suay had a nail jabbed into her side multiple times and was seen swaying from side to side
People were also pictured sitting on an elephant while they were ridden around and one of the men at the centre held a nail in his hands
An elephant looks at the camera as an investigator takes a photograph of their surroundings. They are often forced to stand in their own waste
Pictured: An elephant with what appear to be scratches is seen at one of the tourist attractions in Thailand
They often have their legs chained together on concrete slabs or standing in their own waste.
And a mother and child were seen chained together at one of the tourist attractions, with the baby feeding.
Also at the tourist attractions, elephants perform tricks for loud and large audiences.
In the footage, music plays as three elephants appear to move in a line of three, with two standing up on their hooves.
Another trick shows an elephant moving a hula hoop around their trunk as a child stands on a chair next to them.
Another image shows a bull hook up close as they sit by an elephant in Thailand. The elephants are forced to perform tricks for audiences
Pictured: A man holds a nail used to stab elephants at one of the eight tourist attractions visited by the LFT during their investigation
Pictured: Chains around an elephant’s hooves at one of the tourist attractions in Thailand. The elephants were visibly distressed
Pictured: Two elephants are seen chained together at the tourist attraction, in the investigation conducted by LFT
Pictured: A man holds onto a bull hook as he rides an elephant at one of the tourist attractions in Thailand
Chained elephants are seen standing in their own waste at one of the tourist attractions in Thailand (pictured)
Also, elephants clad in costumes are seen in formation as men stand and sit on their backs and another sits with their trunk curled
Another photograph showed an elephant in a water tank who was photographed by tourists
In the footage, music plays as three elephants appear to move in a line of three, with two standing up on their hooves with their hooves as they perform ‘tricks’ for an audience
Also, elephants clad in costumes are seen in formation as men stand and sit on their backs and another sits with their trunk curled.
And in another piece of footage, an elephant is seen in a water tank as tourists take photographs of it.
Lady Freethinker President and Founder Nina Jackel said: ‘To stab, chain, and exploit these animals is a disgrace to dignified elephants, who are known to show empathy for others, mourn their loved ones, and can distinguish languages,’
‘LFT is calling on authorities in Thailand to investigate these facilities immediately and relocate the abused animals to reputable sanctuaries where they can live as elephants should.’
The organisation has started a petition against the chaining and mistreatment of elephants in Thailand.