February 23, 2007: Elephant polo rampage
 

http://cellar.org/2007/rampage.jpg

Three years ago, IotD pointed to Elephant polo in Sri Lanka. This year's polo did not go so well. In the middle of the match, the above elephant became enraged somehow, threw its riders, and ran off and decided to attack this van.

At the MSNBC story there is an amazing video of the event. Once the elephant decided to attack the van - which, it turns out, was the opposing team's van - it could not be dissuaded. Young spectators and trainers try to get it away from the van by peppering it with rocks and poking it with sticks. For some reason, this does not seem to calm the big bully. For a while it goes off and destroys some stands, but eventually it returns to the van, and head-butts it from all sides.

Eventually it pushed the whole thing over. Look at the power - all the elephant's feet are almost off the ground.

They used a tranquilizer gun to subdue the beast.

http://cellar.org/2007/elephantbasketball.jpg

Here's a better idea... a non-contact sport, just a performance for tourists in Thailand.

Thanks xoB for the first image, from WaPo Day in Pics.

1. I wonder if elephant is tasty?

2. Is the hoopster pachyderm actually using his tail to help balance?

that must of been one hellava tranquilizer to bring it down!:eek: Where can i get some!:D Gotta a few people I need to "subdue".

Edit: Get a little trigger happy Elspode?

I wonder if it was a "bad call" that so enraged the pachy. Or maybe someone threw a cup at his wife in the stands...

Typical elephant hooligan.

Maybe the van made fun of him because he still had HIS trunk.

What, exactly, was going through people's minds at this point?

"Quick! Save the van! Distract the enraged beast by pelting it so it will attack us, instead!"

haha, happy friday!

They shouldn't treat animals this way. It's disgusting. Elephants are intelligent, beautiful beings and they are NOT here for our amusement. Really. Pisses. Me. Off. :mad:

BTW, best part of the video is when the elephant picks up one of those long sticks those assholes have been poking him with and flings it at them. I wished he had swatted them all with his trunk.

my favorite part is when the elephant grabs the stick and whips it back at the men. that was cool.

UT! UT! LJ is copying me!

I agree!

You tell 'em, Bri.

So, Bri, why are they here? :stickpoke

1:38 it is very cool.