In April, Moving Animalsreleased photos and video of the conditions the young elephant endured. The footage showed the skeletal-looking animal in chains being forced to perform tricks and take selfies with tourists. The animal rights group also claimed that Jumbo — also known as Ping Pong — along with several other elephants, performed several times a day under the threat of a bull hook.
The DLD found that Jumbo was underweight and ordered the zoo to remove the elephant from performances until he was healthier. The DLD toldThe Phuket Newsthat, aside from the elephant’s size, the zoo was providing adequate care to the young animal.
Unfortunately, the DLD’s order to look after Jumbo’s health andMoving Animals’ pleato have the animal moved, were not enough to save the elephant.
According to Moving Animals, Jumbo developed an infection in his digestive tract, which made him so weak that his legs “snapped beneath him” while he was trying to pull himself out of the mud. The organization says the zoo didn’t realize the elephant’s back legs were broken for three days.
Moving Animals
“Veterinarians from the Phuket Provincial Office of the Department of Livestock Development (DLD) advised us to keep a close eye on his health because he was becoming weak from an infection. The vets came to check on him and provided him medical treatment, but he was not getting better. His condition kept deteriorating, so he we had him taken to the Elephant Hospital in Krabi, where he was admitted on April 17,” zoo manager Pichai Sakunsorn toldThe Phuket News.
The Phuket Newsreports that it was the elephant hospital that discovered that the elephant’s back legs were broken. Jumbo died three days after arriving at the facility and was buried on the hospital’s grounds.
Moving Animals if horrified with the ending to this real-life Dumbo story.
The Phuket Zoo did not respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
source: people.com
