The 40-year-old Oscar-winning actress is an outspoken critic of ivory poaching in Africa is due to helm a film about an elephant protector.
Five of her six children went elephant riding near the Cambodian city of Angkor Wat during a break in filming on her latest movie, reported Female First.
Elephant Asia Rescue and Survival Foundations apparently said, "Seriously Angelina Jolie? Are you that uneducated about the brutal methods of taming and exploitation of elephants in tourism in Asia?"
"She was furious when she found out because she hates animal cruelty," a source said.
Jolie and husband Brad Pitt are currently in Asia filming "First They Took My Father", which centres on the brutal Khmer Rouge regime.