Photographer responds to backlash for painting elephant bright pink before it died

A photographer is responding to criticism after an elephant she photographed, which had been painted pink for the shoot, died. The incident has caused widespread anger online.

Photographer Julia Buruleva received significant backlash after posting photos of a model posing on an elephant in Jaipur, India. The elephant, named Chanchal, sadly died a few months later, and many people blamed Buruleva, accusing her of mistreating the animal.

People on social media strongly criticized the photoshoot, calling it unethical and cruel. Many accused the photographer of exploiting the animal to gain attention.

Okay, so there’s been a lot of talk about when that elephant died, and honestly, Buruleva is saying everyone’s got the timeline wrong. She’s really pushing back against what people are claiming, saying the dates are off.

Photographer says she had nothing do with elephant dying after painting it pink

She explained that a lot of false information has been circulating. The elephant recently died of natural causes due to its age, and the photoshoot people are talking about actually took place months before its passing and wasn’t related to its death at all.

She also assured everyone the materials were safe, stating the team used festival-standard paint that was both organic and locally sourced.

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A post shared by Julia Buruleva (@julia.buruleva)

The filming happened in November, and Chanchal passed away in February at approximately 65 years old – a normal lifespan for an elephant.

The people who care for the elephant have confirmed the photographer’s story, saying the animal was treated well and wasn’t hurt during the photoshoot. It’s been reported that the session was brief and the paint used on the elephant was washed off afterward.

However, animal welfare organizations maintain that even short-term use of animals in filming can be damaging. They emphasize that elephants have delicate skin and are easily stressed, and that the problem isn’t just whether the paint used is harmless.

One person strongly criticized the artist, saying that using natural paints doesn’t excuse causing an animal to be completely covered in paint for the sake of art.

The initial disagreement has expanded into a larger discussion about whether it’s ethical to use animals for entertainment and artistic purposes, especially in places like Rajasthan where tourists often interact with elephants.

Although it hasn’t been proven that the photoshoot contributed to Chanchal’s death, the widely shared images are still causing disagreement, with many believing the shoot was inappropriate and should not have taken place.

2026-04-01 21:51

Photographer says she had nothing do with elephant dying after painting it pink

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