See the Moment an Elephant Being Used In a Festival Decides Enough Is Enough

Animals have never been meant for human entertainment. While an educational nature documentary or an afternoon of bird-watching is harmless, festivals, events, and circuses often abuse animals for the sake of entertainment. 

That being said, many animals are part of festivals because they represent an aspect of a culture. During what appears to be the Elephant Festival in Kerala in 2011, one elephant had enough. 

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Whether it was the massive crowd, loud drumming, or four people riding on top of the animal, it quickly gave the crowd a reaction they were not expecting. In a matter of seconds, two out of the four riders fell off the gentle giant.

People all around started to back away, in fear of being trampled. An individual walks up to the elephant, perhaps to try to calm the animal down, only to be tossed to the side by the elephant’s trunk! 

Eventually, the second rider slides off the back of the giant creature and runs to the crowd for safety. There is a moment when a man in a blue shirt is behind the elephant, resulting in the animal bending at the knee and shaking its head violently. 

One person comments on the upload and states what we’re all thinking. “It must have been really scary for the lone man on top of the angry elephant.” Due to the quality of the video, it’s difficult to see what exactly was going on. 

Are Elephants Dangerous to Humans?

Elephants are the world’s largest and strongest land mammals, and they may be extremely dangerous and hostile toward people. Elephant danger is greatly influenced by sex, situation, and habitat.  

According to statistics, keeping elephants in captivity is the riskiest option. More zookeeper fatalities result from encounters with elephants in captivity than any other type of captive creature. Elephants may grow restless and violent in stuffy, foreign, and unpleasant captivity settings. 

They are capable of weighing up to 14,000 pounds, measure close to 13 feet tall, and have a natural, wild temperament. These animals have killed humans in numerous ways. Riders have been thrown off their backs, they can crush your body with their weight, or toss a zookeeper around an enclosure. All of this takes practically no effort by the animal.

No amount of planning or education in the care of animals will ensure that a dangerous elephant attack won’t occur. So how does one stay safe? Treat animals with respect, avoid seeing them in captivity, and consider donating to efforts that help these creatures thrive in their natural environment.