TikToker fined for animal cruelty after harassing baby elephant 

Colombo: A Sri Lankan tourist guide who taunted a wild elephant and posted the video on TikTok has been fined Rs. 200,000 for animal cruelty, officials said Friday. 

According to details, the viral video of TikToker harassing wild elephant in Sri Lanka sparked outrage—triggering a public outcry.  

In the 20-second clip the man cannot be seen but a blue vehicle with flashing lights aggressively pursues the animal off-road. 

The person tried to scare away the elephant by driving his vehicle too close to the wild animal, while recording the entire incident.

Visibly scared, the animal began to back off but the person kept driving towards it even as the hapless creature kept trumpeting in distress and walking backwards, the dazzled animal tried to seek refuge behind a tree.

Wildlife and Nature Protection Society of Sri Lanka (WNPSSL) wrote on Twitter that all details of the incident have been submitted to the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) for action.

The authorities identified the person through social media posts and a court issued him a fine of 200,000 rupees ($1,000)—sum about 20 times the monthly minimum wage in Sri Lanka.  

When does our #wildlife get to celebrate their "Independence Day", free of human #harassment?

All details of the incident has been submitted DWC for action. pic.twitter.com/3YJTp0uYoM

— WNPSSL (@wnpssl) February 4, 2022

His social media accounts have since been taken down but the video showing him tormenting the animal is still being shared on several platforms.

 “The fine alone is not enough to deter this type of cruelty,” Asian elephant expert Jayantha Jayewardene said.

“They should have locked up his vehicle and banned him from wildlife parks,” he added.

In 2021, Sri Lanka tightened wildlife protection laws and brought in regulations to protect elephants, which are considered sacred and a national treasure. 

On the other hand, there have been recent reports of tour guides driving very close to wild animals in national parks and using firecrackers to scare them off when they turn aggressive. 

Moreover, capturing wild elephants in Sri Lanka is a criminal offence punishable by death, but prosecutions are rare.