Elephant riding is a popular attraction in many tourist areas. This applies in particular to exotic sites such as India, Indonesia and Thailand. The jungle ride is an unusual experience for many tourists. But they have no idea that it is suffering for elephants. Elephants are not adapted to carry heavy loads. In order for an elephant to listen to man, it must have broken will – by a man.
Abang Da Balik posted horrifying photos of injured elephants in Thailand on his Twitter account. Some pictures show fresh wounds with clear blood. On the others, there are scars from older wounds. Elephant guardians use metal hooks, called bullhook to guide elephants.
Painful Injuries
The blood flowing from the holes on the elephants’ heads does not leave the general public cold. Every year, thousands of tourists visit Thailand, among others, for fun in the form of elephant rides and feeding them; to see elephant dressage. However, after the tourists have realized it to be animal cruelty, they urge the country to stop supporting the cruel business.
A Thai tourist representative told Yahoo News:
“Please do not ride elephants and do not support this store. We never support elephant tourists.”
Cruel Treatment
About 3,000 elephants are used for the tourist entertainment. It is estimated that more than three-quarters of them undergo inhumane treatment, according to World Animal Protection.
The calves are forcibly removed from their mothers. Their will is broken by the cruel hand of a man holding sharp objects.
If an elephant swings his head from side to side, it is understood by the public as a playful tendency. In fact, it is a stress reaction inducing mechanism for isolation.
The elephant’s spine is not adapted to carry heavy loads. An elephant carrying tourists quietly suffers from pain while their load is damaging their backs.
Government
There are currently about 4,500 domesticated elephants in Thailand who are considered working animals. About 3,500 elephants live wild there.
Dr. Patrapol Maneeorn, a veterinarian at the Wildlife Department of National Parks, Nature and Plant Protection, said Thailand is doing its best to stop all the cruelty of animals in its country.
“What we do is working with different organizations and sectors in Thailand to reduce and hopefully eliminate the cruelty of animals as much as possible,” he said.
According to World Animal Protection, other exotic animals also suffer from the tourism industry. Selfie with tigers, walking lions and cuddling with sea turtles are among the cruelest activities. Handling them is as inhumane as treating elephants.
An ordinary person can help by boycotting these cruel attractions. Zero demand can help reduce supply to a minimum.
Source and credit: trueactivist.com/thailand-advises-tourists-not-to-support-riding-elephants-because-of-animal-cruelty-t1/, Abang Da Balik/twitter, ladyfreethinker.org, hashtag/opelephant/twitte, 100waystochangetheworld.com/, .alternativeway.net
