Sadly, not every elephant sanctuary offers a genuine place of safety. While the days when elephant riding was seen as harmless fun are largely over, abuse and exploitation still continue. But things are improving as awareness grows about the need for ethical wildlife tourism. Rob Perkins, a writer for Responsible Travel, explains how to ensure you visit an ethical elephant sanctuary.
Twenty years ago, when I spent a month travelling through Thailand, I went to a park where I took a ride on the back of an elephant, then watched as another group of elephants kicked a ball around, and painted pictures holding the brushes in their trunks. At the time, I thought of it as a bit of innocent entertainment, completely oblivious to the fact that training them would have involved horrific acts of cruelty. If I had known, I’d never have gone near the place.
Many of us have had encounters with wildlife on holiday in the past which, looking back, were problematic. That doesn’t make us bad people, just unaware of the issues. But as times change, and with them standards of what is and isn’t acceptable, there are signs that many travellers are now more conscious of what to look for in an ethical wildlife experience.
A new breed of ethical elephant sanctuaries
Elephant Nature Park in northern Thailand was founded in 2003 by the pioneering campaigner Saengduean ‘Lek’ Chailert, to rescue and rehabilitate captive elephants and give them a lasting home. Here, visitors are invited to watch the elephants from a distance as they herd naturally, bathe themselves in mud and socialise. There is no physical contact with the elephants, many of whom are blind, injured or orphaned, and they’re free to live out their remaining days in an environment of care and respect, with no forced interactions with humans.
Sadly, this place is an exception rather than the rule, and most elephant sanctuaries in Thailand don’t operate along these lines. In fact, many are sanctuaries in name only, with more focus placed on earning money from tourism than actually protecting and rehabilitating elephants in need.
But things are getting better.
Activities like riding, or watching elephants perform tricks, are now widely viewed as exploitative. Public perception has changed, helped by greater understanding of the cruel realities behind elephant tourism, and while these practices still go on, they are far less common than they used to be. Hopefully, elephant bathing will soon be a thing of the past, too.
Why elephant bathing is unethical
Some years ago, after consultation with NGOs, sanctuaries and our tour operator partners, Responsible Travel took the decision to stop promoting any holidays that offer elephant bathing experiences.
Elephant bathing may appear harmless and can bring in a lot of money for sanctuaries that depend on tourism income, but it is problematic. You cannot safely have people in the water with these huge, powerful animals unless the elephants are kept under tight control. They are made to sit or stand still while they are washed – that’s uncomfortable for them and is trained into them using painful methods. In the wild, however, the elephants would be running around and rubbing up against each other in the water, because bathing is a social activity for them. Inhibiting their natural behaviours in this way for the benefit of tourism is unethical.
Even at elephant sanctuaries that call themselves ethical, bathing is often promoted, as it’s a hugely popular and profitable activity. But when bathing is suggested, simply say no – many places also provide other activities, including helping to prepare food for the elephants, walking with them, and opportunities to visit local communities.
Ethical wildlife tourism is growing
It’s not just elephants. The campaign against keeping cetaceans in captivity has been going on for years, and many travel companies no longer sell tickets to whale and dolphin shows such as those operated by SeaWorld. Instead, tourists are insisting on seeing these animals in the wild, where they belong, which can in turn lead to greater legal protections.
Similarly, there is much more awareness now that many zoos mistreat the animals they claim to care for, something that has been well-documented by the Born Free Foundation. And the outrage caused by trophy hunting has also drawn attention to the murky world of walking with lions in South Africa, and the deceptively innocent practice of petting lion cubs.
There is growing demand from travellers for truly ethical wildlife experiences, whether they be tiger safaris and whale watching cruises that keep a distance from the animals so as not to cause them stress, or bear watching tours where your holiday directly funds local conservation projects. Such changes in travellers’ preferences have a positive impact by encouraging the development of humane establishments and discouraging cruel and abusive practices. And the more people learn and talk about these issues and share their experiences, the faster that change will happen.
At Elephant Nature Park, you can take a stroll along an elevated boardwalk to watch as the elephants wander in their chosen herds, roll around happily in mud and sand and enjoy the freedom denied to them by years of chains and exploitation. Observation-only, no-touch sanctuaries like this are the way forward. Nothing beats the warm feeling that comes from seeing these beautiful, intelligent creatures behaving entirely naturally.
How to choose an ethical elephant sanctuary
- Don’t assume that just because a place bills itself as a sanctuary, it actually is one. Do some research before you visit, read online reviews and if you’re travelling with a tour operator, ask them how they ensure it is ethical and whether any contact is allowed between people and elephants.
- Look for sanctuaries that operate on a strictly ‘no touch’ basis, such as Elephant Nature Park or Hidden Forest Elephant Reserve on Phuket. If you are up-close with elephants, there is either a risk to your safety or they are being kept under control, usually by the threat of physical punishment.
- Some sanctuaries work in conservation, helping elephants to stay in the wild where they belong. That may involve reintroductions or habitat protection and restoration. Look for details of these schemes on their websites.
- If you want to volunteer with elephants, spend as much time as you can researching the place you will be working, and ask to speak to previous volunteers to learn about their firsthand experiences and views.
- Baby elephants are a warning sign that the sanctuary may be breeding them for tourism. In all likelihood they will never be released into the wild.
- If you see abuses taking place, then spread the word. Leave reviews on sites such as Tripadvisor and share on your social media profiles. Report them to your tour operator, to the tourist board of the country you’re visiting, and to organisations like Action for Elephants UK. You can also share your experiences on the Raise the Red Flag platform, a valuable resource for travellers who want to play a part in ending animal abuse and suffering.