is bathing with elephants ethical
Jack Highwood (Managing Director at Elephant Valley Project in Cambodia/Elephant Valley Project, Chiang Rai, Thailand) Bullhooks are a very contentious issue. Find out how you can find and support an ethical elephant sanctuary before your next trip. Both elephants were taken from their homes and families in Asia as infants, then chained, beaten, and exploited for human entertainment as adults. As a sustainable, long-term solution, were advocating for a captive breeding ban on elephants to ensure future generations are spared this trauma. However, patting an elephant when the mahout is in control and has given his green light is perfectly okay if those elephants are gentle and do not participate in a conservation programme (reintroduction into the wild, for example) that requires to de-impregnate elephants from human activity. Contact us via Email, Messenger or WhatsApp. She is forced to carry guests on her back for hours in the summer, walking in small circles in the hot sun, and is confined to a cold concrete-floored barn in the winter. The reality of the situation is there are thousands of captive elephants in Thailand and expecting everyone to use a chains-off approach is a) physically not possible, b) unrealistic, c) not safe for the elephant or humans and d) further alienates projects that may have no other financial choice but to use chains. Especially in many South East Asian countries where elephants have already formed a dependent relationship with humans and mahouts. The bullhook has always been part of the normal kit of mahouts for generations. A policeman and a gun is a good analogy. In another incident, a handler reportedly jabbed a bullhook into an elephants mouth to punish her, causing her to urinate in distress. Nothing more than that. In 2016, Carson & Barnes paid a civil penalty of $16,000 to the USDA for improper handling of elephants on two occasions, one of which involved three elephants escaping, injuring themselves, and damaging property. Jungle trekking in Bukit Lawang and coming face-to-face with orangutans in their wild habitat is an experience we will never forget. In other situations where the elephant can make a free choice and is not enticed with food, it is okay to touch them. An unfortunate downside of the sanctuary industry is that they require older, docile elephants so end up buying elephants that families would be otherwise looking to retire. Quick Ways to Help Elephants Using Your Phone or Computer. Some elephants you can leave in a patch of forest and they will happily stay there for a long weekend, others can be aggressive and if left unchained they can (and have in the past) attack people. Elephant Nature Park worth it? : r/ThailandTourism - Reddit 12 Ethical Elephant Sanctuaries in Thailand - South East Asia Backpacker How to Engage with Elephant Tourism and STOP ABUSE (2023) PES' first priority is the welfare of the elephants and it does not offer elephant rides, shows, bathing, trunk hugging, elephant kisses, sitting . Is Elephant Bathing Ethical? - corapark.com Jack Highwood (Managing Director at Elephant Valley Project in Cambodia/Elephant Valley Project, Chiang Rai, Thailand) It is not acceptable for tourists to ride elephants. There is considerable controversy over whether or not bathing with elephants is ethical. Jack Highwood (Managing Director at Elephant Valley Project in Cambodia/Elephant Valley Project, Chiang Rai, Thailand) No. Ava Lalancette (Never Forget Elephant Foundation) Enclosures are very expensive to build and not every project in Thailand has the money. Good change is happening. Elephant tourism in Southeast Asia is a controversial topic and things are rarely black and white. 7 Ways To Know You're Visiting an Ethical Elephant Sanctuary They have general wildlife conservation projects in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. You're giving these elephants a happy life. These tips will help increase your chances of supporting ethical wildlife sanctuaries. 6 Completely Ethical Elephant Sanctuaries in Thailand - iExplore Carson & Barnes is infamous for the mistreatment of the animals in its care, having racked up more than 100 AWA violations as well as fines, lawsuits, and animal-abuse incidents stretching back to 1975. Bans and boycotts dont achieve the desired result, in pretty much all areas of life. Never did we think that it was possible to get up close and personal with elephants. ?) They must remain proneleaving them in a vulnerable positionwhile overly excited strangers engage in horseplay and holler around them. Not only are these elephants at risk of punishment, travelers are at risk of being injured or even killed whenever they come into direct contact with elephants. Another handler beat Paula with a cane during the incident. Touristsalso hold considerable power to turn their backs on unethical practices and can opt instead to see elephants in their natural habitat or support elephant-friendly camps. The views and expressed opinions on these pages are those of the organizations listed, and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Expedia, Inc. Any cited research mentioned by these organizations is sourced by them and has not been verified or independently evaluated by Expedia, Inc. From the hot springs of Japan to the forests of Zanzibar, here are some of the best places in the world to see wild monkeys. We will instead leave it to the elephant sanctuaries (the experts!) She told us: At Asian Captive Elephant Standards (ACES) we believe respect and communication with elephant camps is the best way to improve elephant welfare. It was only after experiencing it for ourselves, did we realise that this was NOT always the case. On the one hand, we were excited because its an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experience for animal lovers like ourselves. At South East Asia Backpacker, we have chosen to work solely with elephant sanctuaries which practice a hands-off policy. ? A baby elephant enjoying a bath (Shutterstock) . Posted by T.I.G.E.R.S. It can also be difficult to tell from photos alone. We do not encourage riding either. But it can be hard to tell until youve physically arrive at the sanctuary. Court records show that in 2021, a woman sustained life-threatening injuries from being attacked during an encounter with an elephant at the Endangered Ark Foundation. Clarence Thomas and Ketanji Brown Jackson criticize each other in - CNN As sad as it is, many travellers are still not aware that you should not ride an elephant. Malpractices are much harder to hide when you have animal-loving volunteers around. Bathing with elephants is not acceptable. I would like to contribute this: many elephants are the property of private owners and as such, releasing them means buying them first (at $50,000USD each) and making sure their owners are ready to sell them (they are usually their owners only means of subsistence). Trunks and Humps is the elephant supplier for the biggest Renaissance fairs in the countryit carts elephants Krissy, Jean, and Paige all over the U.S. and forces them to give rides under the threat of punishment from a bullhook. Notify me via e-mail if anyone answers my comment. You will also have a chance to learn about the behaviour, history and ethics of elephant care in Thailand. Are they rescued and rehabilitated elephants from captivity or the illegal animal trade? Visiting the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary, the most ethical sanctuary in Phuket, gives curious visitors a unique opportunity to interact with magnificent elephants in the safety and security of their natural home. Not for transport, trophies, or symbols of status, and never for our entertainment. Positive training and verbal commands are taught from a very young age. In 2021, elephants Tai and Dixie died within months of each other at The Preserve. For example, riding elephants seems to be almost universally frowned upon. This means if you click on our links and buy something, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Elephants, like ourselves, have a personal space requirement and sanctuaries must provide this. On the other, its believed that the use of chains can save the lives of visitors and mahouts alike, as well as save other elephants from each other e.g. Keep up to date and take action on our social media channels. Thats what sparked us to write this guide. Visiting an ethical elephant sanctuary in Thailand can be a great educational tourism experience. Elephants are extraordinarily expensive and can cost up to $50,000USD. Text STOP to end, HELP for more info. "The takeaway is that those who demand that no one think about race (a classic pink-elephant paradox) refuse to see, much less solve for, the elephant in the room the race-linked disparities . As a result, elephant camps and sham sanctuaries have found another way to empty tourists wallets: bathing elephants. Sign-up to our mailing list for latest updates. All donations over $2 are tax-deductible. The #1 way to ensure your volunteer work with elephants in Thailand is ethical is to ask lots of questions! As long as tourists are taught that feeding, bathing, riding, or touching a captive elephant is acceptable, these animals will continue to be torn from their families and natural homes. Our excitement was quickly met with mixed feelings. Write a review on TripAdvisor or Google to warn other travellers, or simply share this guide. Kourtaliotiko Gorge: How To Get There And Find This Magical Waterfall in Crete, Greece. Mostly because public opinion on what you can & can't do with elephants is always shifting. Once you have fed them an impressive amount of food and had time painting with the elephant, it is shower time for everyone. to unravel this complex issue. Why Bathing with Elephants is Unhygienic and Unethical Even before arriving, we knew that visiting and swimming with elephants in Thailand was at the top of our priority list. Well be the first to fess up although a team of animal lovers, we at Southeast Asia Backpacker are not experts when it comes to elephant tourism. However, not all elephants in sanctuaries across Southeast Asia have been through Pajaan. 1:57. But we also believe that elephant riding or bathing can be done without causing stress or harm to the elephant. Can't donate? We never considered the impact of these actions on the animals involved. The Zerbinis have a long history of dangerous elephant attacks involving serious injury and at least one human death, yet they are still allowed to operate. Ava Lalancette (Never Forget Elephant Foundation) We do touch our elephants at Never Forget, but since they are free roaming in the jungle and are free to come up to us if they wish, we believe its safe/fair for both us and the elephants. through aggressive encounters and unwanted sexual advances. The important question is how/when to resort to using it. In exchange, he lives with other elephants, eats a natural diet, grazes in forest and grassland, and is not chained up in a barn.. BEES is a safe and free place where elephants have humans working for them and not the other way around! However, you are often allowed to feed the elephants and bathe them. Today this ethical elephant sanctuary Bali or Taro safari park Bali is a home for around 30 endangered Sumatran that have been save from the wild and now they have the freedom to roam around 4 hectares ground. Any tourist who casts eyes on this instrument can be forgiven for thinking that it looks like an instrument of torture. One point that still causes controversy is the distinction between tourists riding an elephant and a mahout doing so. Elephant expert, Lek Chailert, founder of Save Elephant Foundation and Elephant Nature Park, says that bathing is a fundamental habit of elephants and one that is better done alone. Camps around the world are exploiting travelers goodwill and generosity by adding the word sanctuary to their names and by claiming to have rescued animals. John Roberts (Co-chair of Asian Captive Elephants Working Group) In Thailand, we have seen that almost every purchase of an elephant, usually from a traditional mahout family or a tourism camp, results in the purchase of another elephant. One, also in Chiang Mai, which advertises "ethical elephant tours", does allow bathing with humans. Get advice. Enduring stress and trauma can lead these animals to exhibit abnormal and harmful types of behavior, such as constant swaying and increased aggression. Depending on the situation, it is quite accepted in the majority of police forces for policemen to carry guns. The bad news is that tourist demand is the main reason why elephants are captured and abused to service this market. Drew Rosenhaus: Sports agent's shark wrestling video slammed by PETA Meanwhile, bathing with elephants has become the "hot new thing" in elephant tourism. Then he is fine. But you can apply these to any wildlife sanctuary youre planning to visit. Many believe that Pajaan happens to all baby elephants born in captivity. If it goes into a rampage, the situation can get out of control and become deadly. PETA has received reports that at one camp, at least, elephants are actually chained during bathing. They work together to solve problems and rely on the wisdom, judgment, and experience of their eldest relatives. Carson & Barnes paid a civil penalty of $16,000. The package deal includes two traditional Thai buffet meals, pick up and drop off to your accommodation in Chiang Mai (terms and conditions apply), drinking water and even food for feeding the elephants! Joey Frisco, Cardens elephant trainer who also exploits Cindy and Vickie at Wilstem, was caught on video violently hooking and yanking elephants when he worked for Ringling Bros. circus. What many people dont realise is that the elephants that you will find in elephant sanctuaries across Southeast Asia have either been bought, (having been previously owned by a mahout family or another elephant camp or zoo), or they are currently being rented. This involves separating young elephant calvesfromtheirmothers, keeping them in isolation, deprivingthemof food and water, and in many cases beating them repeatedly until they arebroken and can be controlled by fear. We used to do this, it wasnt safe and we stopped., Sbastien Duffillot (Founder of Elephant Conservation Center, Laos) A sanctuary must allow elephants to behave naturally. Now, what happens? It is not safe for the visitor and it stresses out the animal because the elephant does not speak [insert non-Thai language here]. Getting up close and personal with Asias giants is top of many Southeast Asia bucket lists. Read our guide tobeingan elephant-friendly tourist here, Three reasons why elephants dont belong in captivity. Required fields are marked *. Jack Highwood (Managing Director at Elephant Valley Project in Cambodia/Elephant Valley Project, Chiang Rai, Thailand) No, tricks and performances are ever acceptable.
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