World Elephant Polo Championship Nepal

You’re probably familiar with the game of polo, wherein riders perch atop horses and attempt to smack a ball into the opposing team’s goal, but you’ve probably never seen it done with elephants.

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The World Elephant Polo Championship in Nepal takes place annually at the Tiger Tops jungle lodge near the foot of the Himalayas. Sixteen of these majestic creatures compete under the care and guidance of the World Elephant Polo Association. The goal of the event is to help raise awareness and funds for elephant conservation efforts in Nepal.

It takes two people to ride each elephant on the pitch, one guiding and the other using an extended stick to shoot the ball. The rules are similar to that of traditional polo with a few changes to accommodate for the obvious size difference involved. Nothing out of hand happens here, though, and the elephants don’t fight each other.

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The actual game only lasts for two 10-minute periods so as not to overexert the animals, making it a fun and safe game for all involved.

The sport actually originated in Meghauli where the event takes place. It’s certainly a fun and fascinating event to watch and proceeds go to a great cause, so if you’re ever in the area you might want to consider checking it out.