Several investigations have been launched after a Spanish man in Kenya posted videos of himself pouring beer down an elephant's trunk - sparking anger on social media. He was filmed in a wildlife reservation drinking from a can of Tusker, a popular local beer, before giving the rest of it to the elephant.
Just a tusker with a tusked friend, he captioned one clip posted on Instagram, which was later deleted from his account after a backlash from Kenyans in the comments. The BBC analysed the footage and was able to authenticate it as genuine, pointing to it being filmed at the Ol Jogi Conservancy in the central county of Laikipia.
A member of the staff contacted by the BBC at the privately owned wildlife sanctuary expressed shock at the behavior, indicating that they would be forwarding the videos to the relevant authorities: This should never have happened. We're a conservation and we can't allow that to happen, said a staff member identified as Frank. The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) is also investigating the incident.
The man involved, who goes by Skydive_Kenya on social media, has also been filmed feeding elephants and rhinos, behaviors that violate conservation guidelines. Conservationists have criticized these actions, warning that they endanger both tourists and animals. Dr. Winnie Kiiru, an elephant conservationist, described it as unfortunate, emphasizing that such interactions mislead the public and could have dangerous consequences.
This incident follows another recent controversy where tourists blocked migrating wildebeest at Kenya's Maasai Mara, resulting in commitments from the tourism ministry to enforce stricter park rules. As wildlife tourism continues to grow, concerns about ethical interactions between tourists and wild animals are becoming increasingly prominent.
Just a tusker with a tusked friend, he captioned one clip posted on Instagram, which was later deleted from his account after a backlash from Kenyans in the comments. The BBC analysed the footage and was able to authenticate it as genuine, pointing to it being filmed at the Ol Jogi Conservancy in the central county of Laikipia.
A member of the staff contacted by the BBC at the privately owned wildlife sanctuary expressed shock at the behavior, indicating that they would be forwarding the videos to the relevant authorities: This should never have happened. We're a conservation and we can't allow that to happen, said a staff member identified as Frank. The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) is also investigating the incident.
The man involved, who goes by Skydive_Kenya on social media, has also been filmed feeding elephants and rhinos, behaviors that violate conservation guidelines. Conservationists have criticized these actions, warning that they endanger both tourists and animals. Dr. Winnie Kiiru, an elephant conservationist, described it as unfortunate, emphasizing that such interactions mislead the public and could have dangerous consequences.
This incident follows another recent controversy where tourists blocked migrating wildebeest at Kenya's Maasai Mara, resulting in commitments from the tourism ministry to enforce stricter park rules. As wildlife tourism continues to grow, concerns about ethical interactions between tourists and wild animals are becoming increasingly prominent.
