Why This Video of ‘Dancing’ Elephants is Heartbreaking, Not Cute

Animal videos are fun to watch, especially when the animals seem to take on what appear to be human characteristics, like dancing. However, there is a deep dark side to such videos. Whenever an animal is seen doing such things in captivity, it is more likely that he or she is not doing it for fun, but out fear of abuse or as a sign of emotional or physical ailment.

Take this video of “dancing” elephants for example from the Phuket Zoo in Thailand. “Want to see this elephant dance? All you have to do is offer a treat and enjoy the show,” the description reads as dance music starts pumping. However, if you watch the video closely, you’ll see the elephant being poked and prodded by its trainer to keep moving. These impressive “dance moves” are not because the elephants are having fun, but because they have been trained to do so, likely at the expense of their emotional and physical well-being.

Supporting videos that advertise and glorify animals in captivity encourages viewers to visit similar establishments and keeps places that hold elephants and wild animals in captivity in business. Of course, it’s fine to share documentaries and news videos that tell the truth about animals in captivity, but for an uplifting alternative, try videos like this one that celebrate animals rescued from captive situations.

To learn more about how you can tell the difference between an exotic animal video that features abuse versus one that is not harmful to animals, click here.

Image source: YouTube/Rumble Viral