Baby Elephant Tied To Mom Giving Rides To Tourists Collapses From Exhaustion

A baby elephant collapsed out of exhaustion in eastern Thailand has angered many animal-lovers online. The animal, believed to be around a year old, had a neck around its neck and it was then attached to its mother while tourists enjoyed riding the bigger animal at Nong Nooch Tropical Gardens in Pattaya in eastern Thailand.

The footage was captured and shared by another tourist, who was clearly concerned for the safety of the animals after the young elephant fell on the ground. The very exhausted juvenile got up on its knees after a while and walked with its mother.

According to the video uploader, the baby elephant had reportedly been walking around the area with its mother while collecting tourists.

The Filipino tourist said:

“There are many more baby elephants tied with their mother walking around with tourists at their backs enjoying under the heat of the sun while these elephants are suffering.”

The clip has sparked outrage among netizens, with some blaming the tourists who patronize practices that abuse the animals.

A spokesperson from the Nong Nooch Tropical Gardens assured everyone that their animals are very well and never mistreated.

Thailand has a centuries-old culture of domesticating elephants. There were around 100,000 captive elephants in the country in the early 20th century, according to reports.

Riding an elephant might be an enjoyable trip for tourists but for the animal, it’s a nightmare.

Dr. Jan Schmidt-Burbach, senior wildlife and veterinary adviser at World Animal Protection, said:

“Tourists may think activities like riding an elephant do no harm. But the brutal truth is that breaking these animals’ spirits to the point that they allow humans to interact with them involves cruelty at every turn.”

Earlier this month, a baby elephant died after he broke his back legs while performing tricks at a Thai zoo.

Watch the video here: