A shocking viral thread allegedly showing systematic harassment of wild elephants in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district has sparked widespread outrage online, with social media users demanding swift and strict action against those involved.
A shocking viral thread allegedly showing systematic harassment of wild elephants in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district has sparked widespread outrage online, with social media users demanding swift and strict action against those involved. The thread, posted by X user Prasant Rai, contains a series of disturbing videos that allegedly show a group of five men deliberately provoking elephants in and around the Simlipal landscape to create social media content and gain online attention.
Titled "Exposing the Reels Gang Harassing Elephants in Simlipal", the thread accuses the group of repeatedly entering elephant habitats and disturbing the animals for Instagram Reels.
"These 5 individuals are making life a living hell for the elephants around Simlipal, Mayurbhanj. Just for cheap social media clout and reels, they are relentlessly provoking these gentle giants. This absolute brainlessness is a ticking time bomb for a massive tragedy," Rai wrote.
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The first video shared in the thread reportedly shows the men riding motorcycles through forested areas while searching for elephant herds. After locating the animals, they are seen moving dangerously close to them, apparently filming the encounters for content.
A clip appears to show members of the group focusing on a baby elephant and attempting to provoke it while recording the interaction.
As the thread unfolds, the footage becomes increasingly alarming. In one video, a man can allegedly be seen standing just a few feet away from an elephant and poking it with a stick. Another clip shows several individuals crowding around the animals while filming, behaviour that wildlife experts often warn can trigger unpredictable reactions from wild animals.
"Look at this blatant harassment. The videos clearly show them getting dangerously close, poking, and irritating the herd with sticks. This isn't entertainment, it's illegal wildlife harassment and a severe threat to the entire habitat," Rai wrote in a subsequent post.
Rai further alleged that these incidents were not isolated events but part of a recurring pattern aimed at generating social media engagement. Alongside the videos, he shared screenshots and tagged the Instagram accounts of the individuals involved, urging authorities to step in before the situation escalates into a serious accident.
Although Rai tagged multiple wildlife officials and authorities in his posts, no public response had been issued at the time of writing. The viral thread has sparked criticism online, with many users calling for legal action and warning that such reckless behaviour could have devastating consequences for both humans and elephants.
