Odisha youths provoke elephants, film it for content. Videos will leave you furious
A viral X thread has accused five men from Odisha's Mayurbhanj of provoking elephants around Simlipal for social media reels. The posts have sparked online outrage and demands for action over alleged wildlife harassment.
A viral thread exposing a group of men harassing wild elephants in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district has triggered widespread outrage online, with many demanding strict action against those involved.
Shared by X user Prasant Rai, the posts contain multiple videos that appear to show five individuals deliberately provoking elephants in and around the Simlipal landscape to create social media content.
The thread, titled "Exposing the Reels Gang Harassing Elephants in Simlipal", accuses the group of repeatedly venturing into 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.
Here’s the post:
The first video shared in the thread shows the men riding motorcycles through forested areas in search of elephant herds. Once they locate the animals, they are seen approaching them at close range.
In one clip, members of the group appear to focus their attention on a baby elephant, attempting to provoke it while recording the encounter.
As the thread progresses, the videos become increasingly alarming. One clip shows a man standing dangerously close to an elephant and poking it with a stick. Another captures members of the group crowding around the animals while filming.
"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.
See the video here:
Rai went on to share several more videos and screenshots, claiming the incidents were not isolated acts but part of a pattern of behaviour carried out for online engagement. He also tagged the Instagram accounts of the individuals involved and urged authorities to intervene before the situation results in a serious accident.
Perhaps the most ironic detail lies in the social media profiles themselves. A quick search of the accounts mentioned in the thread reveals bios describing their owners as "elephant lovers". Yet the videos still visible on those profiles reportedly show the group chasing after herds, getting dangerously close to the animals, and provoking them for content.
The contradiction has not been lost on social media users. Many pointed out that there is a world of difference between admiring wildlife and turning wild animals into props for internet fame.
While Rai tagged multiple officials and wildlife authorities in his posts, no public response had been issued at the time of writing. The thread, however, has sparked fierce criticism online, with users calling for legal action against the men and warning that such reckless behaviour could one day end in disaster for both humans and elephants.
A viral thread exposing a group of men harassing wild elephants in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district has triggered widespread outrage online, with many demanding strict action against those involved.
Shared by X user Prasant Rai, the posts contain multiple videos that appear to show five individuals deliberately provoking elephants in and around the Simlipal landscape to create social media content.
The thread, titled "Exposing the Reels Gang Harassing Elephants in Simlipal", accuses the group of repeatedly venturing into 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.
Here’s the post:
The first video shared in the thread shows the men riding motorcycles through forested areas in search of elephant herds. Once they locate the animals, they are seen approaching them at close range.
In one clip, members of the group appear to focus their attention on a baby elephant, attempting to provoke it while recording the encounter.
As the thread progresses, the videos become increasingly alarming. One clip shows a man standing dangerously close to an elephant and poking it with a stick. Another captures members of the group crowding around the animals while filming.
"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.
See the video here:
Rai went on to share several more videos and screenshots, claiming the incidents were not isolated acts but part of a pattern of behaviour carried out for online engagement. He also tagged the Instagram accounts of the individuals involved and urged authorities to intervene before the situation results in a serious accident.
Perhaps the most ironic detail lies in the social media profiles themselves. A quick search of the accounts mentioned in the thread reveals bios describing their owners as "elephant lovers". Yet the videos still visible on those profiles reportedly show the group chasing after herds, getting dangerously close to the animals, and provoking them for content.
The contradiction has not been lost on social media users. Many pointed out that there is a world of difference between admiring wildlife and turning wild animals into props for internet fame.
While Rai tagged multiple officials and wildlife authorities in his posts, no public response had been issued at the time of writing. The thread, however, has sparked fierce criticism online, with users calling for legal action against the men and warning that such reckless behaviour could one day end in disaster for both humans and elephants.
