Video footage shows the victim trying to pacify the elephant, file photo: © Tony Karumba / AFP
Appalling and extremely graphic footage of a man being trampled to death by an elephant in Sri Lanka has begun circulating online and across social media.
The 41-year-old man was leading a group of tourists through the Yala National Park in southeast Sri Lanka this past week when the tragedy occurred.
WARNING: This footage is extremely graphic and may disturb some readers, discretion is advised.
After getting the animal’s attention, the man gestures at the elephant with his hands while standing his ground, in an apparent attempt to ‘hypnotize’ and pacify it.
The apoplectic pachyderm saw red and charged him down, however, trampling the man in front of horrified and screaming onlookers who were helpless to prevent the tragedy.
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The unnamed man was reportedly intoxicated at the time of the incident.
“The act of getting down from a vehicle and idling at a national park is against the law. Anyone who does something similar in future will be brought to justice,” Chandana Sooriyabandara, the director general of the Department of Wildlife said, as cited by Sri Lankan news outlet News First.
“As far as we aware there is not magic or rituals that can be used to tame these wild animals,” Sooriyabandara added in a special message to anyone hoping to emulate the deceased man’s actions.
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