One of the most common animals seen at the circus is the elephant. According to Mental Floss, these creatures are exceptionally smart. They can identify different languages, use tools, and even understand human body language (“7 Behaviors that Prove Elephants are Incredibly Smart”). With such an exceptional understanding of the world around them, one would assume training would be easy: both for the trainer and the elephant. Instead, physical punishment is the standard. This is because the majority of the acts, like standing on a tiny pedestal, hurt the elephant. While the training of most animals is kept hidden from the public eye, some have been able to catch a glimpse of the horrific ways trainers get animals to preform. Bull hooks, whips,