A baby elephant playfully climbed on the back of a tourist at an animal sanctuary.

Footage shows the jumbo waddling over to the visitor who was sitting on the dirt ground in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

The juvenile pachyderm's two front limbs hung on the guest's shoulders while they cuddled.

The animal was heavy, so the foreigner had to nudge it back a little but hugged its trunk.

Elephants are Thailand's national animal and an important part of its culture and history. In the past, they were used for farming, logging, and even fighting wars.

Some elephants still live in the wild, but many are in captivity, working in tourism or living in sanctuaries. Because logging was banned and tourism has changed, many elephants are now kept in sanctuaries where they are protected and cared for.