Held captive by humans for seven decades, Tikiri has tragically passed after a lifetime in chains as a parade elephant in Sri Lanka.
By the time Tikiri finally succumbed, she was skin and bones, as evident in a photo taken last month after the elephant had collapsed from exhaustion. Despite her increasingly frail condition, Tikiri’s captors had continually forced her to perform, costumed in ornate drapery that hid her emaciated frame.
Photos from Lek Chailert of Save Elephant Foundation exposed the ailing elephant’s condition to the world just before her collapse:
Amid massive public outcry, Tikiri was removed from her remaining festival duties. But if not for people across the globe denouncing the abuse, she would have still had to march in the annual Esala Perahera, a Buddhist festival in Kandy, Sri Lanka — in fact, she was already scheduled to do so.
Now, Tikiri’s suffering has finally ended. We must not let her sad life and painful death be in vain. Tikiri was far from alone in her agony; hundreds more elephants in Sri Lanka are enslaved and forced to work for their entire lifetimes, just like she was. And although she was spared this year, 60 other elephants were forced to march in the Esala Perahera, dressed in elegant costumes that hide their sick and battered bodies.
It’s time to stop the cruelty.
Sign this petition urging Sri Lanka’s Minister of Tourism Development to end the practice of forcing elephants to work in parades for human entertainment, so no more innocent animals suffer and die as slaves like Tikiri did.
SIGN: Justice for Tikiri, the Captive Elephant who Died After 70 Years of Slavery
What’s New…
So heartbreaking! this torture must end now!
Heartbroken and immoral and unethical and unprofessional and I have had enough!!
I thought Buddhists were meant to love all God’s creatures including insects. This is not kind treatment of these intelligent animals and should not be used for entertainment. Obviously tourists have no idea what’s going on and I would encourage them to boycott anything that involved using animals even if they do seem to be docile and compliant. You don’t know how they have been treated to make them docile.
Siri Lanka how “DARE YOU TREAT YOUR ELEPHANTS LIKE THAT”!!! Your government should be ASHAMED. Would you the head of Goverment want be abused like that and starved to perform in head dress to hide your sorry asses!!! SHAME SHAME
I cried reading this. Mans inhumanity is why I no longer believe there’s a god.
There’s a God. He keeps sending tsunamis to wash the Sri Lankan people off of the continent. Lets hope he’s successful. Elephants can tell when a wave is coming & head to higher ground & they swim quite well. They’ll be fine.
Really sick people.
I hope they all rot in hell.
Glad they are exposed and will be exposed more.
So sad and real in this day and age. We need to stand up for the rights of these animals!
Please end this horrible cruelty.
Tikiri, sweetheart, rest in peace. I am so sad to hear, that you died in captivity, beaten, abused and forced to work for these pieces of shit. I pray, that your tormentors will suffer from cancer, Hep B and HIV, and no good doctor will be willing to help this degenerate scum. AND I demand birth control for India, Asia and Africa.
Stop this suffering now. It is too late for this poor animal, but others could be saved from this abuse!!
These people should be made to endure the same. I am in tears as I think of the suffering this poor animal endureed. Stop permitting this activity NOW!!!!
Sad and barbaric. Please stop this terrible cruelty
Sad and barbaric. Please end this terrible cruelty.
This is so sad and tragic how can these captors do this?
This is the best thing that could have happened to her. There will always be another elephant to take her place. These people must have one lined up already, after all they are only animals exhausted, hungry, unloved and without feelings. All those years, what a waste when she could have had a wonderful wild and free life.
Heartless and cruel greedy people tortured poor Tikiri till she died, Makes me ashamed to be human.
This animal cruelty must be illegal, banned and put!!! India proposing herself as a country that loves animals,but in reality it’s another cruel, greedy for money country where animals treated as objects for human amusement. Animal should be banned from been a live entertainment!
I thot Sri Lankan folk were kind and hospitable……until reading about these atrocities. You should feel nothing but SHAME, HUMILIATION, DISGUST. Those are the good points!! Pathetic bunch of inhumane Piles of Crap…you watch something so gentle and majestic wither away RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOUR PATHETIC EYES AND DO NOTHING?? I wanted to visit Sri Lanka before, BUT that is crossed FOREVER OFF MY BUCKET LIST!!
Well well well, I thought Buddhists were kind loving people. Guess not! You will all burn in hell! But Tikiri will enjoy the beauty of heaven. Rest in peace you beautiful soul. The Lady Freethinker people LOVE YOU. I hope I meet you one day to give you a big hug and kiss..I’m sorry the race I belong to is do vile and cruel. And all you wonderful Buddhist go to hell.
DISGUSTING HORRIFIC INGRATES..YOU PEOPLE MAKE ME SICK. KARMA
What small minded people! How can you get across such people, look at them!
pos low lives who see no value in animals except money ! no wonder your country is in shambles and you all look like savages ! what you did for all these years to that poor animal is disgusting and inhumane !
These scum who permitted this are EVIL ! Makes me ashamed to be a human being.
omg i am screaming inside at the injustice this animal had to endure her entire life for some dirty money hungry scum !!!
and I thought those people were kind to animals
how can a comment on this be peaceful and family friendly
My only wish is that those who treated her as a horrible slave for SEVENTY YEARS truly get what they deserve … and quickly