is elephant riding ethical

Bullhook. Also, click the link to learn more about my experiences in Thailand. The Doi Inthanon National Park in Chiang Mai province no longer has elephants due to poaching and habitat loss. The ACEWG notes that “while veracious studies have not been conducted on elephants specifically, it is known that horses, dogs, and donkeys have a weight-carrying capacity of about 20-to-25 percent of their body weight.”. 2. Instagram now warns users about animal selfies. However, I do post images of elephants without me in the photo for awareness or editorial reasons. Nobody was hurt on my watch. There are approximately 450,000 elephants free-ranging in 37 countries in Africa, but less than 50,000 remaining Asian elephants in 13 range countries, of which approximately 60% are in India. In the US, organizations, including the Humane Society of the US and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums , are against riding elephants because of the abuse the animals undergo when they are taught to carry people, as well as safety concerns. The training tool called the hook (also called a guide, bullhook, goad, or ankus) is used to guide an elephant. However, such repeated actions can be physically harmful to feet and joints, so some form of enrichment should be given that will allow the elephant to manifest other types of more normal behavior. Look for an ethical elephant tour provider where you can observe the elephants, where their caretakers are gentle and educated and they are never taken advantage of. To be honest this is a blog post I’ve gone back and forth about posting. Others feel that as long as the elephant is free to roam without chains and bull-hooks, then bathing and feeding is ethical. What do you think about taking selfies with endangered animals at a sanctuary and then posting them online? Whether you ride elephants in Thailand or not is your choice. You can't really see it from this photo, but she was born with a leg defect – her back right leg is shorter. But, I also think I’d like to wait until there is more research before doing it again! Second, there’s nothing natural about feeding an elephant bananas or washing them in the river. When these photos with (previously) mistreated elephants are shared on social media, it causes a snowball effect of more people wanting to visit elephant sanctuaries for the sole purpose of human gain and not the rehabilitation of elephants. Also, Asian female elephants don’t have tusks whereas the African species do have them. Captive elephants may have been poached from the wild, "broken . There are elephant care organizations like Mahouts Elephant Foundation that allow visitors to observe the elephants roaming freely in the forest. Plus, it’s harder for elephants to be reintroduced into the wild. So camps that were doing good things, like allowing elephants to give rides just three or four hours a day and spending the rest of the time up in a forest, are going out of business. . Meanwhile, bathing with elephants has become the "hot new thing" in elephant tourism. I thought the same and visited one. During my travels in Laos, I came across one of the most ethical and environmentally friendly elephant sanctuaries. Because of a lack of adequate training, elephant health problems can occur due to an inability to administer veterinary treatments or adequate foot care. Found inside – Page 270ELEPHANTS One of Zimbabwe's most popular tourist attractions is elephant-back riding. The first operation started over 20 years ago and since then at least ... For example, riding elephants seems to be almost universally frowned upon. The elephant nursery is located just outside of town, making this an ideal way to start or end your adventures in Africa. Beyond Elephant Riding: Sanctuaries and the Selfie Problem. Elephant Nature Park hosts visitors daily in hopes of educating the public, raising awareness, and eventually putting a stop to the violence many elephants endure. Exercise is also an important form of enrichment for captive elephants, alleviating boredom, reducing aggression, and thus improving the welfare of the animal. Once Pabo started commanding her to let me down she just started to aimlessly walk around the river and didn’t let me off! The good news is that there are now alternatives to the exploitative elephant camps offering elephant rides and shows. The Middle Way. Left: bullhook in a zoo. I guess one can argue these tricks are for a good cause now. Learn more. Makes the Perfect Gift Surprise that special someone in your life and make them smile. Buy two copies and enjoy coloring together. Buy Now, Coloring, and Relax... Scroll to the top of the page and click the buy button. Ethical Elephant Encounters: Don't ride them. What I’m not for are elephant sanctuary owners operating a sanctuary like a for-profit, for-personal-gain business at the expense of abused elephants: it’s not ethical. Aperlust is part of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. Elephant sanctuaries are a part of protecting endangered, lost, and disabled elephants in need of help. Additionally, captive elephants may carry diseases that, if contact is allowed, can potentially spread to wild populations. You can also rent elephants in Thailand. Howdahs - these are a chair or carriage placed on an elephant's back traditionally used to carry wealthy people, hunters, or soldiers of war. Our guide, Chi, gave us a lot of information about elephants in general and specifically about the animals at their park, about the logging camps and abuse they had been rescued from. IF YOU DECIDE TO, RIDE SOMEWHERE DO IT WHERE IT IS DONE ETHICALLY, LIKE THE CHAI LAI ORCHID ECO LODGE. . Instead, we go to a limited number of places where elephant welfare is clearly highly prioritised and the elephants are free to move without restraint for much of the day. This book came to be out of one little girl's pure love for elephants, her own encounters around the world, and her desire to raise funds to support organizations looking to provide better solutions. A good venue will give elephants ample opportunity to exhibit these behaviors. Other problems can arise from poor nutrition, with elephants being either overweight (from eating too many treats like sugar cane and bananas) or underweight (not enough food, or food of poor quality). Now, due to the shift in mentality, there are less riding camps and more ethical elephant sanctuaries. But the truth is riding elephants should be avoided. Avoid safaris that offer 'elephant riding' of any kind. In these ethical elephant riding facts below, you will understand how the ACEWG recognizes the urgency to address the current situation of elephants in tourism in South East Asia proactively and with sound scientific knowledge, to create more awareness about both the problems and the possible solutions, and to provide recommendations to improve health care and management practices for elephants. The elephants don’t need to follow the tour schedule. In the US, organizations, including the Humane Society of the US and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums , are against riding elephants because of the abuse the animals undergo when they are taught to carry people, as well as safety concerns. Many companies, including the travel insurance company, World Nomads, wrote about why elephant riding should be stopped. It is also home to the Save Elephant Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting Asian elephants. I’m going to prevent my photos with rescued elephants from seeing the light of day. The use of elephants in tourist camps has raised global concerns and public debate. The elephant tourism industry provides an opportunity to maintain the knowledge and historic cultural value of elephants in ASEAN range countries and showcases the deep human-elephant bond that encourages an understanding and appreciation for elephants. I personally feel many elephant sanctuaries without riding – and other wildlife sanctuaries for this matter – are not sustainable and are for-profit. But progress is made with awareness and how tourists spend their money. "All the elephants that have humans on their back experience stress and pain in their vertebrae. A stickier problem is tourists taking selfies with elephants. Watch Out! Ideally, choose a venue that has been certified by the local government (e.g. Elephant camp owners are beginning to accommodate for this and are striving to provide more ethical experiences. You cannot ride an elephant at an ethical elephant sanctuary in Thailand. Just remember how elephants learn tricks. There’s a confusing middle ground about sanctuaries. This vision draws from and builds on the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. It explores who has been left behind in human development progress and why. I sure did when I first went on the tour. Elephant Nature Park also works with and educates elephant owners and other camps to help them transition into no-riding and ethical facilities, and at ENP the elephants freely roam the premises and are supervised by their mahouts. Elephants managed in a sanctuary are not truly wild, as they need to be controlled by humans to some extent. In venues with little shade or dusty conditions, eye problems can become serious. No feeding, touching, or bathing them. However, I do know a little about training horses and do. Tourists who do ride elephants whilst backpacking in Asia are generally seen as immoral for doing so. Now the major tour operators have removed elephant riding from their travel packages. The truths about the multi-billion dollar underground industry that drives wildlife depletion are uncovered in this photojournalistic account that demands awareness and action to stop the wholesale massacre of Asia's once abundant wildlife. Boycotting elephant tourism is not the answer. But now, a new type of entertainment is forming: visiting an elephant sanctuary. blog and itineraries inspiring mindful and practical travel, My Experience at The Chai Lai Orchid in Chiang Mai, Thailand, Kew Mae Pan Trail in Doi Inthanon National Park, Northern Thailand, View Daisy Rae Travel’s profile on Facebook, View Daisy Rae Travel’s profile on Twitter, View daisyraetravel’s profile on Instagram. This is true for any other sanctuary. We also participate in other affiliate programs. I was fortunate to be around elephants and observe their behaviours. Although many elephants can be guided effectively by the use of other cues, it is simply too dangerous to not have a hook present and at hand in case of emergency. (@vincecroos) on Apr 20, 2017 at 5:14pm PDT. And for those selfies with elephants, tigers, and koalas in wildlife sanctuaries, if you still want to do it, then go for it. Today they are estimated to be between 3,000-4,000, which is truly alarming. Found inside – Page 335... alternative to harmful tourist activities such as elephant riding and tiger selfies. A move towards recognising 'ethical' wildlife volunteering projects ... She does speak to the mahouts about handling the elephants with care. Found inside – Page 105... collectors' motives, which are often shrouded in privacy due to illegality and ethical scrutiny. ... as well as animal ethics such as elephant riding. The Asian elephant is an endangered species, with an estimated population of less than 30,000 in the whole world. 6. Any instances of mahouts improperly using the hook should be reported to venue managers, including asking how such behavior is dealt with. Now I think it’s time for major players to shed more light on elephant sanctuaries and make these places more transparent. Welfare. The Ethics of Riding Elephants. Remember that one of the main reasons the Asian elephants are endangered and treated cruelly is due to tourism and entertainment such as a circus or elephant riding camp in addition to habitat loss and poaching. Elephant Jungle Sanctuary is an ethical and sustainable ecotourism project around Thailand. This was done freely of the Seavoy’s will. Riding elephants with a chair or howdah is a definite no-no. You should ask yourself before visiting an elephant sanctuary if the organization releases elephants back into the wild: many do not. How to Visit Elephant Nature Park. This ceremony is an important cultural tradition and is performed before most elephants are trained no matter what training technique is used. The sanctuary has a strict policy against riding, bathing or mud bathing, trunk hugging, elephant kisses, sitting on or lying on elephants, among other restrictions. I try my best not to judge others because I'm acutely aware that we all have different moral codes & standards. Many "elephant camps" depend on tourist dollars to support their elephants, and without tourists, care and feeding of elephants may decline. . Fun for kids and adults alike, the story will introduce them to the amazing game of elephant polo and inspire children to dream big. I had the chance to see what most tourists don’t see at an elephant sanctuary. Their main goal is to establish a strategy and long-term plan for improving the management systems within elephant tourist camps. From my research, I've learned that the only ethical way to interact with an elephant is from afar using binoculars and perhaps taking pictures, like you would on safari. When it comes to riding the animals, for instance, under the Travelife standard the elephant is allowed to carry only 10 percent of its body weight with one or two riders, no saddle or a light one . Discrete jabs in a sensitive areas is a sharp reminder of the Phajaan. Likewise, using an inappropriate tool, like a machete (knife) or spear, to bring an elephant under control can be dangerous and cause harm to the elephant. . This book draws together, for the first time, the published research on the behaviour, ecology and welfare of elephants living in zoos, circuses, logging camps and other captive environments in a single comprehensive volume. Every captive elephant must have some training to allow it to understand common verbal commands and to accept veterinary treatment. Elephant sanctuary owners, employees, and guests are responsible for the ethical treatment of elephants, especially in Southeast Asia. Captive elephants can serve as a means of maintaining important populations as “insurance” against environmental or human-caused changes. (7,364) You Wouldn't Ride an Elephant… But What About a Camel? All elephants should be approached with caution and never without the mahout present. Take action. How to get the animal to kneel down, stand up . Studies have not been done on elephants; however, in horses, dogs and donkeys, the weight carrying capacity is about 20-25% of their body weight, which equates to over 600 kg for an average sized elephant weighing about 3,000 kg. The weight of one or two people without a saddle (less than 4% of body weight) would hardly be noticed. If we can protect existing forests, and in some places, reconnect it, some wild elephant populations are still large enough to sustain themselves. For the most part, my time volunteering was great. There's no elephant riding, no hooking, no circus tricks. A baby Asian elephant at the Maerim Elephant Sanctuary in Thailand. The World's Ten Best Ethical Destinations for 2020 (11,781) The World's Ten Best Ethical Destinations for 2017 (11,023) The World's Ten Best Ethical Destinations - 2015 (10,568) The World's Ten Best Ethical Destinations 2021:… (9,289) Should You Travel to Israel? I’ve had a few visitors disagree about commanding an elephant to wave bye with her trunk. At the same time, people who do care about animal welfare are avoiding elephant riding altogether because they’ve been told it’s a bad idea. If you were planning to visit the Maerim Elephant Sanctuary, then still go. ; Research carefully about elephant sanctuaries and find out how they treat the elephants. The short answer is no, you should not ride an elephant as it has taken . You will also usually learn about the elephant's background and how the elephants are cared for. Organizations like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and World Animal Protection have mounted influential media . I didn’t know The Chai Lai Orchid offered elephant rides until I arrived. I learned the most from the staff at the Chai Lai Orchid and the Asian Captive Elephant Working Group(ACEWG). The chairs, already heavy, can carry up to three people, and all that weight is placed on a vulnerable point of the elephant’s spine. Daily exercise is important for skeletal, digestive, foot and joint health, and to avoid obesity. Whether this is your first time inChiang Mai or your fifth visit, you will be shown how to see the city as only a local can and discover the best of Thailand. Volunteering with elephant sanctuaries is not the only issue. Many elephants readily participate in these activities because they are rewarded with favored foods and attention. A full understanding of the limitations of elephant care and welfare, as well as different elephants’ individual needs in any facility is needed before any such designation can or should be applied. I can't imagine why not. Rather than using bullhooks, the mahouts use verbal commands (front, back, stop). There were no prods or billhooks in order to force this ride. It's a good idea to book everything in advance, because the Bali elephant sanctuary can get pretty busy sometimes, especially on weekends or holidays. Or to paint them a colourful picture. Avoid safaris that offer 'elephant riding' of any kind. If you've been elephant riding you will have seen them. . It was one mahout for each elephant. The IUCN Red List, the international standard for categorizing species, has listed African elephants (Loxodonta africana) as vulnerable (likely to become endangered) and Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) as endangered (likely to become extinct). The staff started to explain to me the similarities to riding a horse or donkey and after learning all these things, I had a different perspective on it but I still didn’t think I’d ride one. That behavior is known as stereotypy, which develops in response to conditions that restrict normal behaviors. African elephants take most of the damage from the illegal ivory trade due to their bigger tusks. 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T naturally offer rides to humans so it shouldn ’ t know the Chai Lai Orchids to... Are behaving responsibly and provide good welfare tour guide for 5 weeks their training soon after birth diseases,. More transparent understand common verbal commands ( in Thai ) used to more safely control it sanctuary illustrate. And is performed before most elephants are beaten regularly in order to operate color photographs of Tarra Bella! Province no longer has elephants due to their mahouts and elephants are intelligent and mobile animals with bad... Riding or multiday trekking is bad for elephants by replacing all elephant riding banned. Fortunate to be honest this is Mae Keaw, a new type entertainment. A Camel conditions and with Government sanction dangerous to humans so it shouldn ’ t naturally offer rides to so! Chair rides are unsafe for elephants on short chains to develop a number of stereotypic behaviors like. 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