Upsetting images of an emaciated elephant forced to join a 10-day parade in Sri Lanka sparked outrage back in 2019. Many people signed a petition calling for an end to this animal cruelty — but what many might not know is what happened afterward.

Photos of the Sri Lankan elephant lying on the ground, frail and near death with her bones clearly showing through her skin, shocked the world when they first surfaced six years ago. The 70-year-old elephant, named Tikiiri, was forced to wear a costume during a Buddhist festival, so her protruding ribs wouldn’t be visible.

Tikiiri joined 60 other elephants and was forced to walk many miles each evening despite her frail health. The starving elephant would also work alongside dancers, jugglers, fire-breathers and musicians.

Tikiiri, a 70-year-old female elephant, will work beside 60 elephants for the Perahera Festival in Sri Lanka this year – despite her frail body and ailing health
Save the Elephant Foundation/Facebook
The shocking images were shared worldwide, and thousands of people signed a petition demanding change.

Save the Elephant Foundation shared the images as part of World Elephant Day and an online petition attracted the attention of thousands.

“Tikiiri 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 petition said.

“She walks many kilometers every night so that people will feel blessed during the ceremony.”

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“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,” the petition reads.

“How can we call this [the festival] a blessing, or something holy, if we make other lives to suffer?”

The petition got over 100,000 signatures, with many comments from outraged animal lovers. One signer said: “Any level of cruelty to animals is reprehensible. This level of cruelty is absolutely deplorable. I only hope this elephant can be saved.”

The petition also included message to the former Prime President of Sri Lanka, Ranil Wickremesinghe, calling for this barbaric treatment of elephants to stop.