Indiyah Polack has come under fire after posting pictures of herself posing with elephants during a birthday trip to Bali.
The 25-year-old reality TV star, who rose to fame on Love Island, celebrated her special day with boyfriend Dami Hope, 27. The couple shared their experience on Instagram, including photos taken at an elephant sanctuary.
However, not all of her followers were pleased. Many expressed concern about treating the elephants at the sanctuary, which they described as unethical. Some pointed out visible signs of abuse and criticized Polack for promoting such facilities.
One disappointed follower commented, “This is an unethical sanctuary. The riding, the scar, the skinny legs… Please do your research before visiting sanctuaries.”
Another follower added, “These elephants are abused. The scar on the back leg suggests being chained, and reports of abuse from this park can be found online. It’s really sad to see you support this.”
Many of the comments highlighted the cruelty involved in elephant riding, with one user stating, “Elephant riding is so cruel. They were beaten into submission when they were babies so people could ride them.”
Another follower was shocked at Polack’s participation, saying, “It’s sad that people still can’t see this is wrong. People are dedicating their lives to saving elephants, and promoting this only perpetuates the abuse.”
Several users urged Polack and others to be more mindful when visiting wildlife sanctuaries. “If you go to an elephant sanctuary, ensure they don’t exploit and abuse them. An elephant should never be ridden or have chains around its neck,” one commenter advised.
The backlash serves as a reminder for travelers to carefully research wildlife tourism experiences before participating in or promoting them online.