An emaciated baby elephant is forced to bang her head to rave music, “play” musical instruments and perform tricks under the threat of painful punishment at a Thai zoo, investigators have found.

Behind-the-scenes footage also shows the young animal chained up and repeatedly sucking on her trunk – a sign of distress – when away from the tourist shows.

The infant elephant, dubbed “a real-life Dumbo”, is made to join “distressing” performances up to three times a day at Phuket Zoo.

Tourists watched and laughed as she and two adult elephants banged their heads up and down and side to side, and held a leg up while the zoo played loud rave music.

At one point, trainers were seen scraping the animals with bullhooks – which investigators suspect was a reminder to the elephants that they may be jabbed with the sharp tools.

The blind elephants of India's popular Amber Fort tourist attraction Show all 7 1 /7 The blind elephants of India's popular Amber Fort tourist attraction The blind elephants of India's popular Amber Fort tourist attraction Amber Fort is one of India’s biggest tourist attractions, where elephants, many of whom are blind and lame, are forced to haul tourists up and down the steep fort Moving Animals The blind elephants of India's popular Amber Fort tourist attraction More than 100 elephants are kept at Amber Fort Moving Animals The blind elephants of India's popular Amber Fort tourist attraction Of the 103 elephants, 10 had tuberculosis, 19 were blind in one eye or both, and all suffered foot problems, according to a 2018 health report by the Animal Welfare Board of India Moving Animals The blind elephants of India's popular Amber Fort tourist attraction When the animals are not forced to give rides to tourists they are often kept alone at night, heavily chained in “concrete boxes”. The Elephant Village is a few miles from Amber Fort so they have a long distance to walk each day, on roads busy with traffic. Moving Animals The blind elephants of India's popular Amber Fort tourist attraction Many show signs of psychological distress, such as repetitive swaying and head-bobbing, experts say Moving Animals The blind elephants of India's popular Amber Fort tourist attraction Amber Fort attracts thousands of tourists each day, who want to have rides up the steep hills on decorated elephants. Many visitors do not realise the animals are blind or lame. Moving Animals The blind elephants of India's popular Amber Fort tourist attraction Tourist elephant rides are a steady business at Amber Fort Moving Animals

Visitors were filmed putting money in “Dumbo’s” trunk for her to give to the mahout, who also holds a harmonica for her to blow into.

Inside an arena, elephants were forced to stand in a line, one hitting a cymbal with a drumstick, as another and the baby “played” the harmonica.

The investigators, from activist group Moving Animals, described the scenes as “heartbreaking, shocking and alarming” with the animals living in fear of painful punishment or “training”.

The baby elephant, who looks undernourished, sucks her trunk for comfort (Movinganimals.org)

“Tourists’ money pays to keep this young elephant in captivity, and she will spend the rest of her life forced to perform day after day,” said Amy Jones of Moving Animals.

“Shocking photos also reveal her skeletal body, raising concerns of possible malnourishment and exhaustion.”

The adults are seen swaying in distress in other footage; one – which still looks young – is ridden and is forced to kick a ball into a net.

Another time, an elephant being ridden is jabbed by a mahout, who also scrapes the bullhook against her face.

The older elephants also swing hoops around their trunks.

The cruelty continues when one animal moves away from a podium she must stand on, and the mahout pulls her back by the ear.

Ms Jones said she later saw an adult elephant in a bare concrete enclosure pulling on her chain trying to reach out to the investigators.

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“We watched as tourists laughed and took selfies, while the baby elephant stood with her eyes closed, quietly sucking her trunk. The cruel life she will endure is heartbreaking.”

Moving Animals has started a petition calling for her release to a sanctuary.