Our new
report reveals that the captive elephant industry for elephant rides and
performances continues to grow in Asia. Please unite for the herd today, to
help protect elephants exploited for tourism
Riding an elephant is one of the most popular
tourist activities in Asia. Our damning report, published today, reveals that
more than three quarters of nearly 3,000 elephants used for
tourist entertainment in Asia are kept in severely-cruel conditions.
We investigated conditions endured by 2,923
elephants at tourist venues in Thailand, Sri Lanka, Nepal, India, Laos
and Cambodia, and found that 77% of them were treated
appallingly.
We’re urging supporters to unite for the herd
to protect elephants. You can read the online report, and share it with
friends and family to inspire them to make better choices for elephants while
on holiday.
Hotspot for cruelty
Conditions in Thailand proved most concerning,
with almost twice the number of elephants used for tourism there than all the
other Asian countries combined.
Tourism to Thailand doubled from 15.9
million to 32.6 million visitors between 2010 and 2016, contributing
to a 30% rise (1,688 to 2,198) in elephants held in captivity
for tourist activities.
Our new research also found that several
venues in Thailand cater to thousands of visitors daily, generating estimated
profits of tens of thousands of dollars per month from exploiting Asian
elephants – an endangered species.
Endless suffering
When not giving rides or performing, elephants
at tourist attractions are typically kept chained day and night. Most of the
time the chains measure less than 3 metres.
These majestic, wild animals are also fed poor
diets and receive limited veterinary care. They are frequently kept on concrete
floors in stressful locations near loud music, roads, or noisy visitor groups.
Growing cruelty
Dr Jan Schmidt-Burbach, our global wildlife
and veterinary advisor, said: "The cruel trend of elephants used for rides and shows
is growing. We want tourists to know that many of these elephants are
taken from their mothers as babies, forced to endure harsh training and
suffer poor living conditions throughout their life.
"There is an urgent need for tourist
education and regulation of wildlife tourist attractions worldwide. Venues
that offer tourists a chance to watch elephants in genuine sanctuaries are
beacons of hope that can encourage the urgently-needed shift in the
captive elephant tourism industry."
Tourists’ attitudes
Our study on tourist attitudes in 2017
revealed a 9% drop in the number of people who find elephant
riding acceptable, compared to three years ago.
In 2014, we revealed that 53% of
people surveyed at the time felt that riding an elephant was acceptable,
compared to only 44% in 2017.
Unaware of the abuse
Most tourists sign up for experiences with
elephants because they love wild animals and don’t know about the cruelty
behind the rides, tricks and photo opportunities. If people knew the facts,
then they wouldn’t participate in cruel elephant activities.
From the desk of:Animal Rights Association of Nigeria-07040303030
https://www.worldanimalprotection.org/news/taken-ride-thousands-elephants-exploited-tourism-are-held-cruel-conditions
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