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Indian Officials Investigate Pink-Painted Elephant Photoshoot Linked to Russian Photographer
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![Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko]( "Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko")
Indian forest officials have launched an investigation into a controversial photoshoot involving a 65-year-old elephant, which was painted bright pink by a Russian photographer.
According to Independent on April 1, the incident has drawn widespread condemnation from animal rights activists, leading to an outcry on social media over concerns of animal cruelty.
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The photoshoot, conducted by Barcelona-based Russian photographer Yulia Buruleva, took place in Jaipur, Rajasthan, and featured a woman sitting atop the painted elephant in an abandoned Hindu temple. The striking images were posted by Buruleva on her Instagram page in December 2025, but they gained viral attention this month, triggering outrage among online communities.
Animal rights groups have accused Buruleva of mistreating the elephant for the sake of art. Critics argue that painting an elephant, an act widely considered exploitative in the tourism industry, is a form of cruelty. Buruleva, however, defended her work in an interview with Independent.
The photographer stated that the shoot occurred during her six-week art expedition in November 2025. She explained that the aim of the project was to reflect the realities of the situation, rather than promote or condemn the practice.“
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No harm was caused to the elephant at any point during the shoot,” Buruleva asserted, adding that the paint used was non-toxic, organic, and easily washable.
The elephant, named Chanchal, was reportedly no longer used for tourist rides and passed away earlier this year due to old age. Chanchal’s owner, who has supported the photographer’s version of events, claimed that the shoot did not cause distress or harm to the animal.
While Buruleva maintains that the photoshoot was harmless, concerns remain about the impact of such actions on elephants. According to Worls Animal Protection, elephants have highly sensitive, porous skin, making them particularly vulnerable to stress in unfamiliar or disruptive situations, regardless of the materials used. Even though Buruleva emphasized the brief and supervised nature of the session, the ethical debate surrounding the practice of painting elephants for commercial purposes continues.
Elephant painting is a widely criticized practice promoted by some tourism companies, where elephants are used as canvases for tourists’ amusement. Such activities are often seen as part of the larger issue of animal exploitation in the tourism industry, which can lead to both physical and mental harm to the animals involved.
In the realted development, Ukrainian forces recently captured a Bactrian camel from a Russian position on the eastern front, as shown in widely circulated footage released on October 28. The camel was seen being led behind a pickup truck, as Ukrainian soldiers worked to repair a damaged M113 armored personnel carrier.
The incident comes after several months of reports indicating that Russian units have increasingly relied on pack animals, such as donkeys and horses, to transport ammunition and supplies amidst ongoing drone and artillery threats.
Earlier, Viktor Sobolev, a retired Russian general and member of the State Duma’s defense committee, defended the use of pack animals, stating: “If methods like donkeys, horses, and others are employed to deliver ammunition and supplies to the front lines, this is normal.”
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