Officials launch investigation after beer-swilling tourist posts shocking video with elephant: 'Unacceptable'

A Spanish tourist posted videos on Instagram of close encounters with wild animals at the Ol Jogi Conservancy in the central county of Laikipia in Kenya, most notably pouring beer down an elephant's trunk.

According to the BBC, the privately owned wildlife sanctuary said that the behavior was "unacceptable, dangerous, and completely against our values."

The videos have since been removed, and officials are working to identify the man. The Kenya Wildlife Service is investigating the incident.

The sanctuary stated that it does not allow visitors to get close to wild animals, but the same individual also posted videos of himself feeding carrots to elephants, stating, "We are on beer time."

The Instagram posts received hundreds of critical comments before they were pulled down.

The elephant has been identified by the sanctuary as Bupa, a friendly male who is often seen in photos shared by visitors. The Ol Jogi Conservancy is home to about 500 elephants and is focused on rehabilitating orphaned animals.

The same man also posted photos of himself feeding rhinos at a nearby sanctuary.

Approaching the animals in this way is typically a direct violation of sanctuary rules and can put both animals and humans at risk.

Wild animals can be unpredictable, even if they seem calm initially. Tourists have been charged by animals and injured when they got too close. The animals may feel threatened by humans who do not respect their space.

Wildlife sanctuaries help to protect animals and their natural habitats, but interacting with them or getting too close may cause them stress.

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Maintaining a respectful distance ensures the safety of both visitors and animals, creating an enjoyable experience for all.

Kenyan biologist and elephant conservationist Dr. Winnie Kiiru was concerned about the man's actions, both because they put him and the elephant in danger and because of the message it sends to future visitors.

"About 95% of elephants in Kenya are wild, and it is wrong to have social media posts that give the impression that you can get close to the elephants and feed them," Dr. Kiiru told the BBC.

"This should never have happened," commented an Ol Jogi staffer named Frank. "We're a conservation, and we can't allow that to happen."

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