The Truth About Elephants

Anyone who has traveled in Asia knows that animal tourism plays a big part here. From rides to photo ops, tourists just cannot get enough of the Asian elephants. But there is a much darker side to this family fun.

Elephants in the tourism industry are often treated horribly. According to a report by the World Animal Protection, “more than three quarters ofnearly 3,000 elephants used for tourist entertainment in Asia are kept in severely-cruel conditions.” The elephants are taken from their mothers at birth and endure a torturous training process, called the “crush”, which completely breaks their spirit.

But the cruelty does not end there. Elephants who are not currently giving rides or performing are kept chained, and the chains usually only measure about 3 metres. The animals are fed poor diets, just enough to keep them alive but not enough to nourish them properly. Veterinary care is limited and they are forcefully kept on concrete floors in loud and stressful places.

Everyone wants to sit on the back of an elephant and walk through scenic paths. I did too, until I spent a week at the Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai. ENP is a sanctuary for elephants who have been rescued from sites that offer elephants rides to tourists. There, the elephants are free  to roam the vast land. They are well-fed and taken care of. Visitors are allowed to feed them, walk with them, and even help give them a bath in the river.

Elephants are not the only ones who have found a home in ENP, hundreds of abandoned dogs and cats have been taken in as well. It truly is a sanctuary for all.

If you want to take action, organisations such as World Animal Protection could always use donations to help the cause. And next time you see a park offering elephant rides or selling tickets for a show featuring elephants, think twice before jumping in on the artificial fun.

Share your opinion below, and we encourage you to learn more about how you can fight the exploitation of animals in tourism.