PETA ASIA: ‘Breaking eyewitness footage shows elephants who were forced to participate in Thailand’s cruel King’s Cup Elephant Polo Tournament being repeatedly struck and gouged with bullhooks — sharp steel-tipped rods resembling fireplace pokers — and their ears being violently yanked. One mahout can be seen hitting an elephant on the head approximately 15 times, and blood appears to be visible.
The event took place last weekend next to Thailand’s Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort, owned by the Minor Hotel Group…The only way to make elephants tolerate having humans riding around on their backs for polo games or any other reason is to “break” them. They’re chained and beaten with bullhooks or other weapons and constantly threatened with violence to keep them afraid and submissive…
Throughout Thailand, baby elephants are routinely beaten and subjected to other egregiously cruel forms of training. Their complex emotional states and multifaceted relationships are left in tatters. Using these endangered animals in silly spectacles is shameful. Thailand should be focused on protecting these majestic animals in their natural habitats, not exploiting them for human amusement’. SOURCE…
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