Animal rights organisation PETA introduced Ellie, a life-size mechanical elephant, on a school tour in the National Capital Region in Delhi today, Tuesday, January 30 in an effort to teach kids empathy for animals, reports PTI.

The life-sized, lifelike mechanical elephant Ellie, voiced by actor Dia Mirza, paid a special visit to the students at Raghubir Singh Junior Modern School, according to a statement released by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

Ellie tells the children an age-appropriate story of being abandoned by her mother as a newborn, being abused in a circus, and then finally, finding happiness at a sanctuary after being rescued, all while blinking her eyes and flapping her ears like a real elephant, according to the statement.

Nalini Singh Rajput, the school's Principal, told the students, "Elephants are deeply intelligent, social and emotional beings who belong in nature, not in confinement where they are chained and beaten. We are delighted to have Ellie in our school to sensitise our students about developing empathy for animals and other living beings." 

PETA India's Senior Education Coordinator Meenakshi Narang said, "Ellie's story provides an invaluable lesson in empathy by teaching children that, just like us, elephants are intelligent animals who have feelings and personalities."