The Unseen Cruelty behind Elephant Rides


Something very popular that almost all tourists will do when they are in Thailand is to ride elephants. What an awesome experience sitting atop a massive 9-foot tall beast while lumbering through deep rivers and pristine forests.
However, there is a very dark and disturbing truth behind how these gentle giants are used to make profit for the industry.
Out of the approximately 45,000 Asian elephants left in the world, almost 3,000 to 4,000 elephants are held captive in Thailand for the sole purpose of human entertainment.
Contrary to what most people have been led to believe, most of these elephants were not rescued nor bred in captivity. Instead, most of them were illegally stolen from the wild and from their families when they are still babies using pit traps because their spirits and independence can be easily broken.
However, this method, called phajaan, often result in high injury and mortality rates for the elephants. And because mothers are also very protective of their wild infants, this makes it difficult for poachers to capture them.
Therefore protective members of the herd who tries to rescue their child will be easily killed using automatic weapons while their infants are removed. Body parts from the slain individuals will also be sold for more profit.
Once captured, their training begins immediately. The babies will be tied down and beaten using instruments such as bullhooks. This is a method commonly used by all elephant rides attractions to crush the babies’ spirits so that they allow humans to interact with them.
Researchers have found that the elephants who were subjected to the merciless beatings often develop post-traumatic stress disorders and some don’t even survive the “training”. The elephants will often learn to obey their “trainers” in order to avoid more pain and further beatings.
Elephants in such attractions are also denied their natural lives. In the wild, elephants – who are highly sociable and intelligent creatures – live in herds. They spend their days foraging for fresh vegetation, playing, swimming, and communicating and exploring with other elephants.
However, in captivity, they have no control over their own lives. They are deprived of all that is natural and important to them. They are isolated and are unable to socialize with other elephants. They are forced to spend long hours chained up and can only walk in small circles or along a short path while carrying riders on their backs, even during the hottest days.
When the elephants are not working, the elephants are kept in sheds with hard concrete floors and a chain shorter than 3 meters bound around their feet.
Captive elephants are also denied nutritious food, adequate water, and veterinary care, especially for their feet. These elephants can be prone to conditions such as arthritis due to their lack of exercise and long hours spent standing or walking under the hard surface. Most elephants also die years before their average life expectancy is up.
But because public awareness of the cruelty done to these elephants is increasing, many attractions are now trying to fool tourists by adding words such as “sanctuary” or “rescue center”. However, the abusive training methods used for elephant rides are always the same. Real sanctuaries will not abuse and exploit their animals for human entertainment.
There are a number of ways you can enjoy your time with these magnificent animals which do not involve any abuse or exploitation by simply supporting real sanctuaries or organizations where former captive elephants are rescued, cared for, and rehabilitated.

Comments

  1. Excellent article, thank you for taking the time and energy to address this ❤

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  2. This is insane. I had no idea. And you through me for a loop with the sanctuary and rescue center. I am not one for circus or zoo's but in the past I have seen them.

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  3. It's an awful issue, and something that truly upsets me.

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  4. So many different ways to see things! Thank you for sharing!

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  5. This is so heartbreaking to read, I've seen photos of people in India riding on elephants but I've never really looking more into it like this.

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  6. Thank you for sharing about the plight of the elephants

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  7. I do hope they stop this abusive way of tourism. As a travel blogger I condemn this.

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  8. Excellent point to bring up. I hate seeing animals used an enshrinement. This needs to stop.

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  9. thanks for making us aware of this....it is one step forward....for elephant's welfare....

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  10. A lot of research is put down there regarding the animals, really appreciate your hard work buddy :)

    Great post

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  11. I made the mistake of taking a ride over 10 years ago. I'd never do it again! I love elephants.

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  12. Elephants are one of the wonders in our nature. It is so cruel to force them as a part of tourism. Thanks for sharing your views.

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  13. I hate seeing Animal abuse it makes me feel cry at all times People should read this article.

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  14. It is so important to take care of these magnificent creatures and show them some respect

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  15. The people have no other means of livelihood. If their government is supportive, they might not choose to work with animals.

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  16. OMG I had no idea.. this is so cruel! Thank you for sharing it! We need to spread this post to increase awareness about this cruelty.

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  17. I have never ridden an elephant for this exact reason. I think that it is sick when people offer elephant rides, they are clearly wild creatures, and in my opinion, if an animal that large that is naturally undomesticated is docile enough to be ridden by children, it has clearly had it's spirit broken.

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  18. This sort of thing makes me so sad. When i did safari in Africa, seeing them roam free in their natural habitats was just the most breathtaking moment.

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  19. It's very sad reading terrible stories a our animal cruelty like this. There is no reason to abuse them and laws in those places need to be enacted to put a stop to it.
    Elizabeth O

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    1. Pardon the typo, it should read: It's very sad reading terrible stories of such animal cruelty like this.

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  20. I’ve seen people participating in elephant rides on social media. Needless to say, I won’t be participating in one. I love animals way too much.

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  21. Very lovely post, love all the beautiful captures shared here, absolutely agreeable to some of the points shared. thanks for this great sharing ya :Dccheers, siennylovesdrawing

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  22. Back in the days, I was very young and ignorant made a mistake so costly for these wonderful beasts. To my defense, internet was not as big now as it was so information drive such as yours was next to none. Moving forward, I am one big supporter of animals and their rights and I always educate friends and family about the struggles of these creatures. Thanks for sharing.

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