Viral Video: Man Teases Elephant, Forces Chase. IFS Officer Rebukes Saying, ‘Identify The Animal’

A video showing a man harassing an elephant prompted a warning from an IFS officer. The video depicted the man repeatedly taunting the elephant, causing it to charge at him.

A video shared on X by IFS officer Parveen Kaswan showed a man provoking an elephant and being chased by it.

Source : X/@ParveenKaswan

A video surfaced showing a man provoking an elephant and being chased by it prompting an Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer's warning against harassing wild animals. The video, shared on X (formerly Twitter) by IFS officer Parveen Kaswan, highlights what he described as “dangerous and unethical behaviour” that endangers both humans and animals.  

The video begins with the elephant walking calmly, only to be deliberately teased by the man, who blocks its path. Initially tolerant, the elephant becomes agitated and charges at him, forcing the man to flee. After the elephant retreats, the man continues his antics, provoking another chase. The pattern persists until a herd of elephants appears, with the man attempting to taunt them too, repeatedly retreating in panic as the animals react.  

Sharing the video, Kaswan remarked, “Identify the animal in this video. Maybe you are young and you can outrun the elephants. But these irritated animals don't behave peacefully if they see other human for next few days. Don't irritate wild animals for your fun.”  

Identify the animal in this video.

Maybe you are young and you can outrun the elephants. But these irritated animals don’t behave peacefully if they see other human for next few days. Don’t irritate wild animals for your fun. pic.twitter.com/chYlLeqx3d

— Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) January 12, 2025

IFS Officer Parveen Kaswan On 5 Behaviour Changes Risking Human-Animal Conflict

In a follow-up post, Kaswan elaborated on the consequences of such harassment, noting that elephants, as highly intelligent and social creatures, can suffer lasting stress and disrupted behaviour due to human interference. He outlined five behavioural changes that can occur in elephants subjected to such disturbances and warned that this increases the risk of human-animal conflict.  

Elephants are highly intelligent and social animals, and their interactions with humans can significantly influence their behavior. Harassment or irritation by humans can lead to several behavioral changes in elephants in the subsequent days:

1. Increased Stress and Aggression…

— Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) January 12, 2025

Kaswan emphasised that harassing elephants is unethical and harmful, carrying serious consequences for their well-being. “Maybe it is fun for some but because of this behaviour others are in danger,” he concluded.