Overview
- The photos show a model on a live elephant painted bright pink in Jaipur, an image the photographer posted in December 2025 after a November shoot that has gone viral again this month.
- Forest officials first said they would investigate possible wildlife law breaches, yet News18 reported Tuesday that a Rajasthan wildlife officer said no probe is currently underway.
- The elephant, identified as Chanchal and described as about 65 to 70 years old, died in February, with handlers and the owner attributing her death to old age rather than the shoot.
- Handlers say they used gulal, a natural festival powder, for roughly 10 minutes and washed it off quickly, while the photographer insists the color was organic and non-toxic.
- Activists, including PETA India, say the episode underscores long-running concerns about captive-elephant welfare and permitting for commercial uses, since elephants are a top-protected species that typically require clearances for such shoots.