Think Twice Before Partaking In This Common Wildlife Tourist Attraction In Thailand

The opportunity to see elephants in real life is more than enough reason to travel to Thailand — but when you're planning your trip, be careful not to choose tourist activities that rely on abusing the animals you're there to see. Elephant camps are common tourist attractions where visitors may be allowed to ride elephants or watch them perform stunts and tricks, from painting a picture to riding a bicycle. Travelers flock to Thailand every year to interact with elephants at camps like these, but what many of these animal lovers don't know is that behind the scenes, these endangered animals are being horrifically abused.

Elephants are incredible creatures. They recognize themselves in the mirror, use tools to accomplish tasks, and have complex social relationships, forming decades-long friendships, fiercely protecting their children, and mourning their dead. While elephants are deeply tied to Thailand's cultural identity, they are often exploited for the benefit of foreign tourists. Just as you should never visit alligator farms in Florida, you'll want to avoid elephant camps that you haven't vetted. There are ethical sanctuaries where visitors can see elephants in an environment that's as close as possible to their natural one, but frustratingly, many elephant camps are intentionally deceptive and label themselves "sanctuaries" to lure in guests who would never knowingly support animal abuse, but aren't able to spot the warning signs.

While many of the activities at elephant camps are presented as fun and cute, a 2021 study of elephants in tourist camps from Applied Animal Behavior Science found that 57% of the hundreds of elephants observed showed signs of stress, anxiety, and trauma, as well as injuries and medical issues from neglect, poor care, and physical abuse. For example, videos of captive elephants seeming to dance by swaying back and forth may seem wholesome, but in reality, this is a severe sign of stress, similar to a human curled up on the floor of their shower, rocking back and forth.

One of the most common activities at these attractions is elephant riding, during which guests are invited to ride on a saddle strapped to an elephant's back for a fee. When looking at an animal as large as an elephant, it may be hard to imagine that carrying us on their backs would harm them, but tragically, being regularly forced to give rides leaves them permanently disabled and in chronic pain. Maybe even worse, the way that they are trained to perform is horrifically cruel. During a disturbing process known as "the crush," baby elephants are taken from their mothers extremely young, beaten with metal spikes known as bullhooks, and taught to fear humans. Even elephants who perform seemingly harmless tricks have almost certainly undergone this process in order to learn them.

Asian elephants are endangered and vanishing rapidly from the wild, so the usual strategy of heading to a national park to admire wildlife is a lot more difficult. Fortunately, there are some ethical sanctuaries in Thailand that are offering the next best thing — but how can you know which ones are legitimate?

Fortunately, things are changing in Thailand. A surge in interest in sustainable travel and ecotourism, as well as relentless work from elephant advocates within Thailand, like Elephant Nature Park founder Lek Chailert, has encouraged many elephant camps to adopt more ethical practices. Even the attempts of unscrupulous camps to pass themselves off as sanctuaries while still using chains and bull hooks represents a major shift in Thailand's tourist industry towards better treatment for elephants. 

Visitors to Thailand can do their part to encourage that change by choosing to visit sanctuaries where the animals exist in a more natural environment rather than being forced to perform, and where you observe elephants rather than touching or riding them. Along with Elephant Nature Park, the most famous ethical elephant sanctuary in Thailand, you could consider visiting Karen Elephant Home, Samui Elephant Sanctuary, New Elephant Home, Karen Elephant Serenity, or Samui Elephant Haven.