Riding elephants has long been considered a unique and exciting experience for tourists visiting countries like Thailand, Cambodia, and India. However, the reality behind elephant riding is far from glamorous and it’s important to understand why it is both a harmful and unethical activity.
First, it’s important to understand natural elephant behavior. Elephants live in large, matriarchal herds. They are very social and communicate with each other through touch, vocalizations, and seismic vibrations (which they sense through their feet). They spend the day roaming, and can cover dozens of miles a day.
The elephant riding industry negatively interferes with many of these natural behaviors, and causes both physical and psychological injury to the animals involved.
Cruel Training Methods: To make elephants suitable for riding, they are subjected to brutal training practices that involve separating a young elephant from their mother, tying them up, and beating them until they are submissive and obedient. While I will spare you the details here, know that the process is horrific and last for weeks. The physical and psychological trauma inflicted on the elephants is often irreversible.
Physical Harm: In addition to the permanent physical damage that is caused during training, elephants are not designed to carry heavy loads on their backs. The vertebrae of an elephant’s backbone have bony protrusions that point upward. Because of this difference, carrying weight on the back of an elephant is very different than carrying weight on the back of an animal with smoother backbones, like horses or humans. For elephants, the weight of riders and saddles can cause pressure sores, spinal injuries, and chronic pain. Additionally, the abuse of training doesn’t stop when the rides begin. Elephants are regularly hit with sticks, whips, or bullhooks (sticks with a sharp hook at the end) to ensure they remain compliant.
Psychological Distress: Elephants are highly intelligent and social animals, and the isolation and mistreatment they experience during the training process can cause severe psychological distress. This distress can manifest in abnormal behaviors such as head-bobbing or rocking, which are signs of psychological trauma.
Abusive Living Conditions: When not being ridden, elephants spend most of their time tightly chained up, with their movement heavily restricted. Many do not receive enough food or water. The elephants used for riding are often overworked, underfed, and housed in poor conditions. This leads to a high mortality rate, and elephants often die young as a result of the harsh conditions they are subjected to.
Negative Impact on Wild Populations: Elephant riding contributes to the demand for captive elephants, which in turn drives the illegal capture and trade of wild elephants. This has a negative impact on wild elephant populations, which are already facing threats such as habitat loss and poaching.
Elephant riding is an abusive and unsustainable industry that is driven by profit rather than the welfare of the animals involved. Responsible travelers should never participate in this activity, and should avoid supporting any tour companies that offer this option (even if you avoid the elephant rides, don’t give them your money for any other activities either).
The good news, however, is that there are plenty of alternatives to riding elephants, such as visiting responsible sanctuaries or observing them in their natural habitats through ethical wildlife tours.
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