Gee, whiz: elephant relieves itself on floor of Texas Republican convention

Four-ton Paige, brought in as surprise for attenders, made gushing debut after governor finished keynote speech

An African elephant weighing roughly 4 tons that was brought to the Texas Republican party’s annual convention to excite attenders ended up drawing widespread attention for the wrong reasons after she urinated on the convention floor and became the focus of animal welfare concerns.

Inside the George R Brown convention center in Houston on Friday, attenders had been told to prepare for a “larger-than-life surprise” after governor Greg Abbott finished his keynote speech. Organizers also displayed a message asking people to keep the aisles clear.

Shortly after Abbott concluded his remarks, Paige, an African elephant, entered the convention hall adorned with a large campaign-themed banner. As Paige moved through the venue, she suddenly halted and relieved herself, according to videos shared online.

The Texas Republican convention serves as a major event where delegates and party officials from around the state gather to establish priorities, generate enthusiasm and strengthen support before important elections. The appearance of a live elephant – a longstanding symbol for the Republican party – was intended as a show of solidarity in the organisation.

Footage captured the elephant briefly stopping during the procession while urine streamed onto the floor, leading to noticeable reactions from those watching. At least one attender could be heard shouting, “Oh no,” as others laughed or reacted with surprise.

The Texas Democratic party quickly circulated video of the incident and presented it as symbolic.

“Governor Abbott closed out his speech at the Texas GOP convention with a live elephant. It then peed on the floor as it left the room. The perfect metaphor for the Texas Republican Party,” the post read.

The Texas Republican party also posted a video of Paige beginning her walk through the crowd on X, writing: “Welcome Paige! Thanks for stopping by the State Convention! What a treat for our delegates and guests - it’s one they won’t ever forget!”

Paige is part of the East Texas Elephant Experience, an animal facility located in the eastern city of Cut and Shoot, Texas. The company’s website says that Paige, along with two other elephants, were brought to the US after their parents were poached for ivory in the late 1990s. The business offers visitors an “up close and personal” experience with the elephants for $125 per ticket, but apparently also offers their elephants to be rented out.

The Animal Rights Coalition has been highly critical of the East Texas Elephant Experience, accusing them in a 2024 Facebook post of forcing the animals to travel to various events “so they can be used by humans for a few moments of selfish entertainment”.

“They deserve better. They deserve true sanctuary where they can live their lives free from exploitation and the threat of harm,” the statement added.

The advocacy group also has a page on their website titled “Send Jeanie, Krissy, and Paige to Sanctuary!” that further accuses the business of forcing the elephants to endure “long hours of confinement, often chained and transported in cramped trailers across the country”.

The replies to the Republican party’s X post of Paige’s arrival at the convention were also largely critical, with journalist Yashar Ali writing: “Shame on every single human being involved in torturing Paige the Elephant.”

Another commenter wrote: “This is abhorrent cruelty. Elephants are not political props. Disgusting and disgraceful.”

Paige’s species, the African elephant, is considered endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. These gigantic mammals are particularly vulnerable to big game hunting and poaching for their tusks.

Ironically, the national Republican symbol has been put in further peril in recent years after Trump loosened restrictions around the import of elephant trophies from some African countries, a practice that has significantly contributed to the population’s sharp decline.

Two of the president’s sons, Donald Jr and Eric, are prolific big-game hunters, having previously been pictured on a 2011 hunting trip posing with animals they had killed on safari, including an elephant, a buffalo and a leopard.