WILDLIFE photographer Norman Watson has shared horrific images of elephants chained up, being beaten with bamboo sticks and collapsed from exhaustion.

The Scottish photographer, 47 spotted the evil abuse at the Bandhavgarh National Park in Madhya Pradesh, India on a trip to photograph the park's famous wild tigers - who he claims are treated well.

6 Mahouts beat the elephants Credit: Mercury Press

6 Norman describes how the elephants 'scream' and trumpet in agony Credit: Mercury Press

6 The photographer said baby elephants are chained up and look 'emaciated'. Credit: Mercury Press

The website also states that in order to ride the elephants, 'written permission' must be obtained from the park's field director.

Elephants in the park are used to ferry tourists around the 450 square kilometre park on an 'elephant safari', which their website claims "has gained immense popularity amongst the animal lovers.

Norman describes his horror at hearing elephants 'scream' in agony after being beaten with 5 foot canes by their 'carers', known as mahouts.

SCREAMS OF AGONY

"The screams from the elephants when they were whipped put a shiver down my spine. They were in so much distress they were weeing themselves – while we were about 100 metres away, screaming for this to stop."

Watson also shared images of 'emaciated' baby elephants, whom he claims he saw chained to trees and in cages, in one case he saw two young elephants chained together so tightly they couldn't walk.

"There were two young elephants, about five years old, with their legs chained so close together they were actually hopping while trying to get away from a mahout beating them with a bamboo pole.

"It escalated to one mahout pulling the elephants over with their tails while the other had a sharp hook over its ear.

"They rolled it onto its side and beat it for about 10 minutes, only stopping because he was exhausted swinging the bamboo pole."

PROTECT THE ELEPHANTS

Norman visited the Bandhavgarh nature reserve, popular with Wildlife enthusiasts, in April this year and felt compelled to share the elephant abuse he witnessed.

An animal lover himself, Watson hopes the images will raise awareness of the maltreatment faced by the gentle creatures.

"They should be banned from keeping any kind of animal and certainly not elephants, given other roles in the reserve that doesn’t cause animal abuse.

“Elephants shouldn’t be taken from the wild or ridden by people. They should be given protection throughout Asia."

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Norman has vowed not to return to Bandhavagh until the abuse has stopped, and the elephants cared for properly.

He wants people to take a stand against the violence and appalling conditions faced by the elephants in the park.

“Only people power can change wildlife abuse and animal cruelty.”

6 Adult elephants are beaten and forced to work long hours while their babies are chained up. Credit: Mercury Press

6 Norman has vowed not to return unless the animal abuse is rectified. Credit: Mercury Press

6 Credit: Mercury Press

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