A Scale Drawing of an Elephant Shows the Animal

Elephant painting an Elephant

Log in or sign up to leave a comment

level 1

On a trip to Thailand I went to an Elephant "conservation center" and saw a show exactly like this. The elephant grasped the paintbrush and was guided along by its handler to paint a picture of 2 elephants and 2 trees. The handler turned his attention away for a moment and the elephant began to use the green paint from the trees to paint one of the elephant figures. The handler then stabbed the elephant with a large hook on a stick on its front leg. The elephant then continuously tried to comfort its wound with its trunk but still had to grasp the brush and continue the painting as the handler guided it to. I never felt so powerless about being able to do something about it. I had realized earlier the handlers were using hooks and nails on sticks to make the elephants do things for the tourists. But seeing the painting made me very uneasy about displays like this. Afterwards the group I was with went to a real center that cared for elephants, some that were injured by poachers that led them over minefields. The elephants were not forced to put on shows and were given food when they needed it, instead of only when tourists bought it for them. Centers like that deserve more attention. Just wanted to give some awareness that, while it seems amazing, it is a trick done at shows to make a profit.

level 2

I too went to a tourist trap elephant show. It was disgusting. The ones who weren't being forced to paint were standing in a huge dirt clearing all tied to the same wooden structure, awaiting their turn to be ridden by the next ignorant tourist. I was almost in tears.

When your friends tell you their awesome Thailand elephant riding story, it was not awesome.

level 2

The one in Changrai, yes? The lady who runs the facility is Lek. She is one of the most amazing humans on the planet.

My PSA: Do not support elephant-related tourist agencies, unless they are legitimate rescue facilities. The "domestication" process of elephants can be very brutal. Additionally, elephants are very large, labor intensive two-ton vegetarians and need very special care.

level 2

The place where I saw the painting was the Thailand Elephant Conservation Center in Lampang. Most tours through northern Thailand go there. It is actually a way to make a living for the handlers there. It wasn't until after I took an elephant ride that I noticed and pointed out to my girlfriend that one of the handlers was making an elephant repeatedly bow to a group of tourists by sticking it with the needle at the end of the stick he had. One of our group actually captured this moment in a photo where everyone is smiling and shaking the elephants trunk while it is bowing, while at the same time my girlfriend and I have looks of shock and disgust on our faces in the background.
The place to really go is the Friends of the Asian Elephant center, which is also in Limping. Only about twenty minutes away from the other center. It can still be a little heartbreaking, one of the elephants was missing a leg lost to a mine, but it is clear the center has a passion for keeping them happy. They are more playful, and happy to see people. In particular there was a baby elephant stealing the show who couldn't get enough attention. For the most part the people of Thailand respect elephants and hold them in a very high regard, but it seems they are aware of some mistreatment and use of them for profit.
Sorry should have thrown this in: http://www.elephant-soraida.com/main/
That's the Friends of the Asian Elephant website, though a lot of it is in Thai

level 2

Hey dude, I'm travelling to Thailand with my boyfriend in February. We're both really keen on seeing some elephants up close, but we're also really concerned about unknowingly supporting situations like this, where the elephants get hurt. Whereabouts was the real centre you went to?

level 2

I read about "phajaan" once. Still cry every time I think about it.

level 2

Many Thai elephants are captured in Western Burma/Myanmar, please do not attend shows outside of natural habitat people of Reddit!

level 2

My mom worked as an elephant trainer in Texas and taught her elephant to paint. Here is a picture. No abuse neccessary.

level 2

...this broke my heart...

level 2

How horrible. Elephants are so neat and should not be exploited by humans for any reason. Animals deserve respect.

level 2

I have seen it. In Cambodia. That Elephant did not really draw any kind of shapes discernable patterns. It was just picking colours and smacking the canvas somewhat randomly with the brush. Looked like it was having a lot of fun.

level 2

It's very sad how likely it is that this elephant was beaten and abused to get to this point.

level 1

It isn't fake, but the elephants that paint are trained to paint a specific image on repeat and not from their own concepts. My favorite is the elephant that paints a picture of an elephant holding a flower here.

level 2

Even if they're trained to do it on repeat... Being able to teach them to draw an image with that much detail? Crazy.

The only detail my cat seems to notice is that the bottom of her bowl is starting to show and it's now too empty to continue eating.

A Scale Drawing of an Elephant Shows the Animal

Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/aww/comments/1uqtat/elephant_painting_an_elephant/