In high school my sister and I were both mildly obsessed with America's Next Top Model, and there's one season that always stuck out to me. In Cycle 6 the top contestants travel to Thailand where they go trekking into the forest on top of an elephant and do a photo shoot along side/on top of the elephant. So obviously, I immediately added "ride an elephant" to my bucket list and started my day dreaming of romping with elephants in Thailand.
 |
| Examiner.com |
Fast forward nine years and I'm sitting in my Intro to Tourism class at Ohio University and the teacher shows a film about the tourism industry in Thailand. It was there that I learned the alarming reality of riding elephants.
As large as elephants are, their spines are not built to support the weight of humans. A lifetime of holding people while trekking causes irreversible damage to the backs of elephants. In elephant tourism, riders often sit in a chair, known as a howdah, that is strapped on top of the elephant, which adds extra weight onto their spine and often causes blisters that go untreated. Many companies claim to provide "responsible elephant treks" where you ride the animal bareback, as opposed to in the chairs. Although this might be healthier for the spine of the elephant, many people don't realize what the elephants went through to be trained to carry people in this fashion.
But don't fret! There is a responsible and guilt free way to experience these cuties up close and personal: Elephant Sanctuaries! When it became common knowledge that elephants were being mistreated, people stepped in to create better lives for these well deserving animals. Throughout Thailand (and the world) there are many elephant sanctuaries that use their resources to take in abused and neglected animals and give them a healthier and happier life. Elephant sanctuaries offer stays ranging in length, anything from an afternoon to a week on their property. While at the sanctuary you learn what it takes to healthily care for an elephant. You get to feed them fresh fruit, walk them to the river and swim with them while they take a mud bath.
One of the first questions that people ask when I tell them that I'm moving to Thailand is "are you going to ride an elephant?" and I energetically reply "No!" I'm looking forward to spending a period of time romping with these awesome creatures in the near future, and doing so in an ethical and kind way.
for a more detailed and informative post on elephant cruelty visit this great article by Matthew Karsten
A few reviewed and ethical Elephant Sanctuaries include:
Elephant Jungle Sanctuary
BLES
Elephant Nature Park
As large as elephants are, their spines are not built to support the weight of humans. A lifetime of holding people while trekking causes irreversible damage to the backs of elephants. In elephant tourism, riders often sit in a chair, known as a howdah, that is strapped on top of the elephant, which adds extra weight onto their spine and often causes blisters that go untreated. Many companies claim to provide "responsible elephant treks" where you ride the animal bareback, as opposed to in the chairs. Although this might be healthier for the spine of the elephant, many people don't realize what the elephants went through to be trained to carry people in this fashion.
The Crush
In order for an elephant to be 'good' at their job in elephant tourism they are often taken away from their families at an extremely young age so they can be trained right away. Elephants are social and loving creatures, they stick with their family and travel in packs. Taking a baby elephant away from it's family is psychologically damaging, and it's an experience that impacts them for the rest of their lives because an elephant never forgets. After the babies are taken away from their family they go through the training process known as 'the crush'. It's here that the elephants are put under extreme conditions that involve sharp hooks and starvation. They are trapped in tiny cages where they spend their days held down by chains while being beaten. They go through both psychological and physical trauma that stays with them for the rest of their lives. Even after an elephant finishes their time being crushed, these habits are still used throughout their entire lives. Mahouts (elephant trainers) often use sharp sticks or bull hooks to keep the elephants in line, jabbing them anytime they're doing something wrong. On top of that, elephants that are used for tourism purposes are often kept in chains when they're not trekking. Elephants are extremely personal and social animals, when they're left alone in the wild with their family they are almost always in contact with another elephant, choosing to stand right next to each other and often checking in on each other by rubbing their trunks over the other's body. Elephants in captivity are usually kept in close proximity to other elephants but aren't actually able to physically touch each other, causing distress and isolation.
 |
| nature.org |
But don't fret! There is a responsible and guilt free way to experience these cuties up close and personal: Elephant Sanctuaries! When it became common knowledge that elephants were being mistreated, people stepped in to create better lives for these well deserving animals. Throughout Thailand (and the world) there are many elephant sanctuaries that use their resources to take in abused and neglected animals and give them a healthier and happier life. Elephant sanctuaries offer stays ranging in length, anything from an afternoon to a week on their property. While at the sanctuary you learn what it takes to healthily care for an elephant. You get to feed them fresh fruit, walk them to the river and swim with them while they take a mud bath.
 |
| Mud baths at Elephant Jungle Sanctuary |
One of the first questions that people ask when I tell them that I'm moving to Thailand is "are you going to ride an elephant?" and I energetically reply "No!" I'm looking forward to spending a period of time romping with these awesome creatures in the near future, and doing so in an ethical and kind way.
for a more detailed and informative post on elephant cruelty visit this great article by Matthew Karsten
A few reviewed and ethical Elephant Sanctuaries include:
Elephant Jungle Sanctuary
BLES
Elephant Nature Park
No comments:
Post a Comment