Heartbreaking photos show emaciated elephant forced to walk miles, parade in costume during 10-day festival in Sri Lanka
Disturbing photographs that have recently emerged show an emaciated elephant that has been forced to parade at festivals her entire life.
70-year-old Tikiiri is now set to work with 60 other elephants for the Perahera Festival in Sri Lanka this year despite her ailing health and frail body, Daily Mail reports.
The decorated animals perform every year in the ten-day Buddhist festival alongside a myriad of dancers, fire-breathers, jugglers, and musicians.
That said, the Save Elephant Foundation shared the harrowing pictures of Tikiiri to mark World Elephant Day on Monday.
"Tikiri joins in the parade early every evening until late at night every night for ten consecutive nights, amidst the noise, the fireworks, and smoke," the foundation wrote on Facebook. "She walks many kilometers every night so that people will feel blessed during the ceremony."
The costume donned by Tikiiri makes her look glamorous with a sparkly full-body dress, all the while covering the distressing reality underneath.
"No one sees her bony body or her weakened condition, because of her costume," the organization wrote. "No one sees the tears in her eyes, injured by the bright lights that decorate her mask. No one sees her difficulty to step as her legs are short shackled while she walks. How can we call this [the festival] a blessing, or something holy, if we make other lives to suffer?"
The foundation said the female elephant works for the "Tooth temple" in Kandy city and urged the public to "write to Prime Minister of Sri Lanka to end this cruelty."
"We cannot bring a peaceful world to the elephant if we still think that this image is acceptable," they added. "To love, to do no harm, to follow a path of kindness and compassion, this is the Way of Buddha. It is time to follow."
Several social media users said they were left heartbroken by Tikiiri's dire predicament.
"To have this beautiful creature treated and used in such a despicable way shows that humans really do think they are the superior race... This has got to stop and I for one will write to the Sri Lankan government," one person commented on the picture.
"This is beyond awful... I have tears in my eyes. This beautiful lady needs to a sanctuary to live out her remaining days. This breaks my heart," another wrote.
The Save Elephant Foundation, a non-profit organization, provides care for a major chunk of Thailand's captive elephant population.
Sangdeaun Lek Chailert founded the organization after she began advocating for elephant welfare in Asia stemming from her love for the country's national symbol.
She has often raised concerns about the species becoming endangered.
"It is our mission to save the Asian elephant from extinction and give domesticated elephants a life worth living by preserving habitat and increasing public awareness on humane treatment practices," the foundation said.