I have just learned about a
disturbing tradition called Phajaan, practiced in Thailand and several other countries, that use
elephants as part of their tourism draw . I had originally felt that
riding elephants was not such a bad thing to do, especially if you rode them
bareback. We did this while in Thailand and it was one of the highlights of our
trip.
I
have now changed my mind about this after reading the article below, and
watching a documentary on television recently. It is not so much the
riding of the elephants that is so bad , because elephants are
really strong and actually seem to enjoy the short ride, which eventually leads them
to the water hole and to a bath. The problem lies in getting these
elephants to be submissive enough, (being the wild animals that they are ) to
allow many different humans to ride them. This starts at a very young age when they separate them from their mothers, beat them and starve them so that they appreciate their mahout that is assigned to them. Many of the elephants that are used for riding in the sanctuaries have actually been rescued off the streets of Chiang Mai and Bangkok and lead a much better life in these sanctuaries. I've seen elephants in places like Koh Lanta, chained to a stump with a big sign advertising elephant rides. The elephant is clearly there for profit.
I do get it that the sanctuaries need money to feed and care for the animals and one of the lures that brings in money is the ride. However, I realize that we have to educate ourselves that this is not really ethical and if we are really concerned about these majestic beasts, we can visit the sanctuaries, take part in the care and donate to them, without going for a ride. It is just as rewarding.
Read the article below and let me know your opinions. The places that they recommend in this article are the ones that I will be recommending in the future.
http://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/breaking-the-spirit-of-elephants-for-use-in-the-tourism-industry/
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