Viral videos of three Malaysian elephants in a Japanese zoo have ignited public outcry, with viewers interpreting the animals' distress signals as homesickness. Social media users claim one elephant appeared to be "weeping" when visitors called their names in Malay. These clips have led to demands from Malaysians for the elephants' return.

A viral video of three elephants sent from Malaysia to a zoo in Japan has sparked public anger after online users said the animals appeared distressed when visitors called their names in Malay – which many viewers interpreted as a sign of homesickness. The footage showed the three pachyderms – Dara, Amoi and Kelat – responding to the Malaysian visitors, while another widely shared clip led social media users to claim one of the elephants appeared to be “weeping”. Other clips and images...