World Elephant Day is marked on August 12, and it's a time to reflect on the pros and cons of elephant tourism. Photo / 123rf
World Elephant Day is marked on August 12, and it's a time to reflect on the pros and cons of elephant tourism. Photo / 123rf
For many travellers to Asia, elephant encounters are a bucket-list experience. But how can you tell it’s an ethical one? On World Elephant Day, Responsible Travel writer Rob Perkins explains more.
Elephant encounters are a bucket-list experience for many travellers, but too often, sanctuaries put profit beforetarget="_blank"> animal welfare.
Thanks to global campaigns, many have stopped offering elephant rides and “shows”, but problematic activities such as elephant bathing and photoshoots remain popular substitutes. They may seem like innocent fun, but often there’s cruelty behind the scenes.
A truly ethical encounter is one where elephants have as little to do with humans as possible. At observation-only, no-touch sanctuaries, visitors can take pleasure from watching elephants behave naturally, with their own kind, free to move around however they like.
Why travellers should avoid elephant bathing and photoshoots
Bathing an elephant in a river might seem perfectly harmless. After all, they bathe regularly in the wild, and pouring buckets of water or smearing mud on to their skin isn’t going to hurt. And what could be wrong with gently cuddling an elephant’s trunk for a photo?
The issue is control.
Simply, for members of the public to get close to them, these massive, powerful animals have to be kept under tight control. It would be too dangerous otherwise. That doesn’t necessarily mean a mahout - caretaker - standing there with a stick. It means the elephant has been taught that if it doesn’t do as it’s told, it will be punished. Unlike animals such as horses, elephants can never be domesticated; their spirit has to be broken in a violent process known as “the crush”.
In the wild, elephants bathe together in large numbers, rubbing against each other, rolling in mud, and running around. Obviously, if they’re surrounded by tourists it would be completely unsafe for them to behave naturally like this. So, they have to stand, or kneel, and stay still while people splash around them. Not only does this cause them stress, but given how much they weigh, remaining still for long periods can be uncomfortable.
An elephant's natural behaviour does not involve standing still while visitors pose with them. Photo / 123rf
Some sanctuaries offer elephant bathing several times a day with different groups of people. The elephants don’t have any choice about being washed, when, or for how long – visitors expect to get the experience they’ve paid for, and sanctuaries don’t want to issue refunds.
It’s a similar story to photoshoots. It’s not in an elephant’s nature to stand perfectly still while tourists pose next to them. At some point, the animal has been taught that it must behave.
Should we boycott sanctuaries that offer elephant bathing?
Just because a sanctuary offers bathing experiences or photoshoots doesn’t necessarily mean it should be avoided altogether. Elephants are incredibly expensive to look after, from food supplies to veterinary bills. The Born Free Foundation estimates the cost of looking after just one captive elephant to be around US$100,000 annually.
Given that an Asian elephant can live well into its 50s and beyond, and that most sanctuaries are almost entirely reliant on charitable donations and tourism revenue, it’s understandable that many sanctuaries see bathing as a relatively harmless way to bring in some much-needed money.
And often, these sanctuaries also do a lot of good – rescuing elephants from cruel tourist camps, or the logging industry – perhaps even helping to release some of them back into the wild.
You can still visit, learn, and make a donation – just leave your swimsuit back at the hotel.
Choose observation over interaction for a more ethical elephant encounter. Photo / 123rf
How to have an ethical elephant encounter
Elephants are happiest among their own kind, in natural habitats, with as little to do with humans as possible.
Avoid any activity where you’re up close with the elephants and explain why to the management. There’s no such thing as “ethical riding” or “ethical bathing” – if the elephant is docile enough to have members of the public next to them, then somewhere along the line it’s likely it has been mistreated.
Instead, look for observation-only sanctuaries where you can enjoy watching them from a distance. Good sanctuaries include the Elephant Valley Project in Cambodia, Samui Elephant Sanctuary in Thailand, and Reteti Elephant Sanctuary in Kenya.
Volunteering at sanctuaries is very popular. Responsible Travel’s guide to volunteering with elephants can help you know what to expect, and how to choose an ethical project that’s making a real difference.
The most effective conservation projects are those that prevent animals from needing a sanctuary in the first place. You can volunteer at projects that help to protect and restore habitats elephants depend on in the wild, or financially support them by donating from home. The International Elephant Project is a good place to start.
If you see instances of troubling behaviour, such as elephants being hit with hooks, or chained for long periods of time, report it to the authorities, and to charities such as Born Free. You can also leave online reviews to warn others.
