Clubs and bull hooks are used to beat the animals into submission

Woman in video says elephants are taken from their mothers and abused

A shocking YouTube video released by World Animal Protection is trying to convince tourists not to book wild animal experiences such as elephant rides the next time they are on holiday.

With many tourists unaware of what goes on behind the scenes, the fake advertisement is part of a global campaign to bring awareness to the abuse and torture suffered by enslaved elephants, tigers and other animals.

The video starts with an actress welcoming viewers to 'Authentic Elephant Rides', a non-existent tourist attraction, before describing the horrific ways elephants are tamed so they can be ridden by tourists.

Ugly truth: 'Elephants won't naturally let people ride on them so to tame them they are tortured'

The woman plays the role of an 'Authentic Elephant Rides' employee, telling viewers: 'Elephants won't naturally let people ride on top of them so in order to tame them - and to give tourists that extra special experience - they are tortured from a very early age to completely break their spirit.

'The process is called phajaan or "the crush" while ripping them away from their mother and confining them to very small spaces - like this.'

The presenter then points to minuscule pen complete with chains.

She adds: 'The elephants are beaten into submission with clubs and bull hooks. It is the fear of being stabbed which is used to motivate them to work. The tip has to be really sharp to make sure it pierces the elephant's thick skin.

Torture: The end of the video shows a clearly distressed elephant chained to a tree trying to free itself

'And of course they are simultaneously starved and deprived of sleep for days on end. There is no other way to ride an elephant.'

The clip ends with footage of a clearly distressed elephant desperately trying to free itself as it is shackled to a tree with a saddle and chair strapped to its back.

As part of its Before They Book campaign, World Animal Protection has launched an online guide with tips to help tourists to book animal-friendly holidays.