Viola, the Most Desperate Elephant in the World, Is Still Suffering at Circuses

Viola was just a baby when poachers stole her from her family, shipped her across the world, and sold her into a lifetime of abuse and exploitation at a circus. For over five decades, the now-elderly elephant has been trying to escape her captors. PETA needs your help to get Viola, the most desperate elephant in the world, out.

Viola’s Desperate Attempts to Escape Abuse in the Circus Industry

Elephants like Viola don’t perform in circuses because they want to—they perform because they’re afraid of what will happen if they don’t. Trainers use sharp weapons called bullhooks to threaten Viola and bully her into performing tricks and giving rides. The circus has been caught violently hitting Viola and other elephants with bullhooks during training and performances.

Viola has attempted to escape her captors on at least four separate occasions, demonstrating both her desperation to escape and the circus’s ineptitude to keep animals secure. Viola escaped as recently as 2024, dodging cars, pedestrians, and other chaos in a busy city center.

Escaping puts her and everyone around her in danger, but after decades in the circus, it seems like she’s willing to do anything to get away.

Viola and Other Elephants Suffer Even When Not Used for Circus Tricks

When not forced to perform uncomfortable and demeaning circus tricks, Viola and the other elephants she’s traveled with are confined at an elephant training compound misleadingly named the “Endangered Ark Foundation” in Oklahoma.

The Endangered Ark Foundation has a long history of elephant abuse and poor animal welfare. On March 14, 2026, Dr. Chris Draper, an elephant expert with over 25 years of experience in animal welfare science, visited the facility. There, he observed a trainer openly and forcefully using a bullhook on an elderly elephant named Traci who was trying to stand up during a “bathing” encounter. As the trainer approached her, it became abundantly clear why she had been so desperate to stand: She defecated very loose stool. Dr. Draper opined that the looseness may have been a result of trying to hold her stool in, and also noted that rapid defecation can be a fear response.

Despite the crowd observing this incident and it being clear she’d been trying to stand in order to defecate, the trainer continued to insist that Traci needed to lie down for the bathing encounters, even if it meant lying in her own loose feces.

Elephant Expert Who Observed Viola Fears She Is in Constant Pain

Dr. Draper also observed Viola at a 2026 Jordan World Circus performance. There, he saw her and another elderly elephant, Isa, being used for rides and a performance. During rides, Dr. Draper noted Viola was exhibiting signs of serious leg stiffness and chronic veterinary issues. According to his report, “[Viola] appeared reluctant or unable to bend the right front wrist, shuffling the leg forward without visible flexion.”

Viola’s abnormal gait is plainly visible, making it difficult to believe that Carson & Barnes is unaware of her condition, but they are still forcing her to carry as many as nine humans at once on a near-daily basis. This burden will only exacerbate her foot and joint issues.

Help PETA Get Viola the Retirement She Deserves: Safe at an Accredited Sanctuary

In 2025, Viola was forced to perform at roughly 200 shows and was on the road for most of the year. It’s expected she will face a similar grueling schedule this year.

When forced to participate in the harsh conditions of circus life, Viola endures:

• Near-constant travel in a trailer with no relief from unyielding metal surfaces.
• Confinement to hard substrates outside venues in parking lots or arena backrooms.
• Being forced to walk in tight circles while carrying riders.
• Punishment if she refuses to do tricks that are difficult for any elephant to perform— especially an elderly elephant who already has signs of chronic foot and joint issues.

Viola is old enough to be a great-grandmother and appears to suffer from painful, swollen feet, knee problems, and other issues likely caused by her long, sad life in the circus. She must be retired to a real sanctuary, where she could finally get the care she needs.

Please politely urge the owners to end their cruel animal acts and send Viola and the other elephants to reputable sanctuaries.

Then, please join us in politely urging these venues to enact policies against acts that feature animals like Viola.

Do you want to help Viola in person? Please join local PETA supporters at local demonstrations near you to help free Viola the elephant. We’ll provide all materials, such as posters and leaflets. Simply show up at the planned time and location, follow the dress code, and we’ll have everything you need to urge these circuses to stop using her. Contact PETA at [email protected] for more information.