The ancient city of Petra, Jordan's national treasure and best-known tourist attraction, is in the spotlight after disturbing film emerged of horses, mules and donkeys being beaten by their owners.
Distressing video captured by a journalist at Petra last week shows several acts of animal cruelty - including one man throwing a rock at a horse’s head, another male punching a donkey, and others kicking mules.
Several others were caught whipping their animals around the head with plastic hoses, all in full view of passing tourists.
Other animals were forced to carry tourists on long treks though the city, up steep, eroded steps, often in high temperatures.
It appears the majority of the abuse came from young Bedouins - the indigenous people who live within the walls of Petra.
In 2018, Jordan’s minister of tourism and antiquities was among those to commit to ending beatings and other abusive treatment, according to leading animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).