A Spanish tourist is facing investigation after a video surfaced showing him allegedly pouring beer into the trunk of an elephant at a wildlife sanctuary in Kenya. The clip, which has since been deleted, appeared on Instagram under the handle @skydive_kenya.
In the footage, the man can be seen drinking from a can of Tusker, one of Kenya’s most popular beers, before tipping the rest into the trunk of an elephant named Bupa. He captioned the video: “Just a tusker with a tusked friend.”
Incident At Ol Jogi Conservancy
According to a BBC report, the incident happened last year at Ol Jogi Conservancy in Laikipia County, central Kenya. However, it only gained widespread attention recently after Kenyans on social media condemned the tourist’s actions.
Staff at the conservancy expressed their shock, telling reporters: “This should never have happened. We’re a conservation center, and we can’t allow that to happen. We don’t even allow people to go near the elephants.”
Kenya Wildlife Service Launches Probe
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) confirmed that an investigation is underway to identify the man, who has not revealed his real name on social media. Spokesperson Paul Udoto stressed that such behavior is taken seriously and would not be tolerated.
Sanctuary Issues Statement
Last month, Ol Jogi Conservancy released a statement on Facebook, acknowledging the resurfaced video and confirming that Bupa, the elephant in question, is healthy.
“Ol Jogi Wildlife Conservancy is aware of a video resurfacing showing an individual feeding beer to one of our habituated elephants. Bupa has lived here for many years,” the statement read.
It continued: “We take matters like this extremely seriously and remain committed to ensuring the well-being and dignity of the animals in our care.”
Public Demands Accountability
The video has triggered a wave of anger online, with many demanding punishment for the tourist. Comments ranged from calls for heavy fines and deportation to lifelong bans from wildlife sanctuaries.
One outraged user wrote: “He should be fined and deported. End of holiday. And named.” Another said: “Ban this dude from all wildlife venues for life.”
A third person summed up the public sentiment: “Every animal on this planet deserves to feel safe and respected! This is absolutely disturbing, shameful, horrifying, and unacceptable.”
