Chitwan Elephant Festival: Just weeks before the 2025 Chitwan Elephant Festival, PETA has released previously unseen video footage from the 2024 edition, revealing shocking scenes of abuse against elephants despite repeated claims by organisers that the event has become “elephant friendly”. The video shows mahouts beating and jabbing wounded and scarred elephants on their heads, faces, and ears – even in the presence of veterinarians.
PETA says its earlier investigations had already sparked widespread public outrage, prompting organisers to issue misleading assurances of reform. However, many controversial “games” returned in 2024, accompanied by the same cruelty documented in previous years.
“Unsuspecting tourists are being lured to this festival of cruelty, where terrified elephants are beaten and jabbed, and live under the constant threat of violence,” said PETA Asia President Jason Baker. He urged government officials to shut down the event entirely, calling it a “sham” that treats elephants as mere photo props.
Multiple PETA investigations over the years have found that elephants are routinely controlled through fear and pain, with handlers striking them using sticks, wooden knives, and bullhooks to force participation in games such as football. In one recent instance, a handler was recorded jabbing, kicking, and beating an elephant at least 64 times in public view. Another clip shows a mahout elbowing a baby elephant in the face.
PETA highlights that elephants are intelligent, social animals who naturally live in matriarchal herds, celebrate births, mourn deaths, and rely on strong family bonds. In captivity, they are deprived of these natural behaviours, often leading to severe psychological distress and repetitive, obsessive actions.
Following PETA’s outreach after the 2024 festival, several major sponsors—including Pepsi, BYD, Nepal Investment Mega Bank, Buddha Air, Mahalaxmi Bikas Bank, NLG Insurance, TechMinds Network, and Manakamana Darshan—ended their association with the event.
PETA is urging the public and stakeholders to pressure organisers to cancel the abusive games altogether and avoid any events that exploit animals for entertainment. The organisation reiterated its stance that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment or abuse in any way” and emphasised its message that “Every Animal Is Someone.” The Festival Committee could not be reached for a response regard this.
