After ‘Pink’ Elephant Chanchal is Reported Dead, PETA India Demands Russian Artist Pull the Print or Donate ALL Proceeds Towards Indian Elephant Protection

For Immediate Release:

04 April 2026

Contact:

Anushka Yadav; [email protected]
Sanskriti Bansore; [email protected]

Jaipur — Following renewed outrage over images of captive elephant Chanchal painted bright pink for a photoshoot in Rajasthan after she was reported dead, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals India (PETA India) has sent a letter to Russian artist Julia Buruleva urging her to immediately pull the commercial print from her website or donate all proceeds from the print to advance elephant conservation or protection efforts in India. Buruleva is selling the print for up to over Rs. 3 lakh each, as evidenced on her website.

In the letter, Dr. Mini Aravindan, Senior Director of Veterinary Affairs for PETA India, writes, “I am writing to urge you to either immediately take down the print depicting the elephant Chanchal, who was used in your photoshoot and has been reported to have died, or to donate all proceeds of the sale of the pink elephant print toward keeping elephants in their forest homes in India, such as to PETA India’s mechanical elephant project, or to a genuine elephant sanctuary like Wildlife SOS or Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre where rescued elephants are kept unchained, never controlled with weapons, and have the company of other elephants. If you choose the latter, please ensure the prints go with a clear message discouraging the use of captive elephants for rides or other reasons and please post the same on your website.”

Chanchal is reported by some media to have been 70 years old. Dr. Aravindan also notes that under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change Project Elephant “Guidelines for Care and Management of Captive Elephants”, captive elephants are recommended to be retired at 65 years of age.

Addressing the artist’s public claims that the paint could not have contributed to the elderly elephant’s death, the letter from the veteran veterinarian states that “it is not possible to wholly rule out the health impacts of the paint” towards her demise. Dr. Aravindan writes, “The paint was near the elephant’s eyes, ears, trunk, mouth, and genitals. Coating an elephant’s skin—especially around sensitive areas, can pose risks, especially for animals in vulnerable health, including irritation, ingestion during grooming/feeding, stress, and aggravation of pre‑existing conditions, even when products are marketed as ‘safe’.

The letter also underscores other cruelty elephants used for rides at Amer Fort, like Chanchal had been facing, “They are also chained and kept on concrete when not in use, like cars in a garage, and controlled with weapons often carefully hidden under costume and decorations”. It warns that Chanchal’s owner, Saddik Khan, appears to be the same person who owned elephant Malti. Malti was rescued after a campaign by PETA India as she had been documented being severely beaten on multiple occasions (one time by eight men wielding sticks).

Dr. Aravindan’s letter further states, “[Y]ou should have been warned that frustrated elephants in Jaipur have attacked humans and each other. In 2024, a Russian tourist was hospitalized after an elephant use for rides, Gouri, slammed her to the ground, breaking her leg. using elephants for rides and forced interactions puts humans at risk.”

PETA India’s mechanical elephant campaign donates mechanical elephants to places like temples and for processions, allowing real elephants to stay with their families in their jungle homes and traditions to continue. Inspired by this, mechanical elephants are now increasingly being used for other purposes in India like rides, weddings and even political rallies. The use of mechanical elephants creates job opportunities for artisans and engineers, and mahouts (elephant keepers) are routinely retrained to help take care of rescued animals in sanctuary environments.

PETA India’s motto reads, in part, that animals are not ours to use for entertainment. For more information about PETA India, please visit PETAIndia.com or follow the group on X, Facebook, or Instagram.

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