Source: CNN
Wildlife Friends Foundation in Thailand is reminding tourists that riding elephants is an inhumane practice. Elephant rides are offered at tourist sites in Asian countries, and claim to be raising money for the care of the elephants. However, elephants subjected to giving tourist rides suffer permanent physical injury to their spines.
Though Asian elephants are massive and strong, their spines curve upward, making them unsuitable for giving rides to humans. An elephant can suffer permanent spine deformities after a lifetime of work giving rides.
Tourists to elephant camps are reminded to only visit sanctuaries that allow elephants to roam without riders or chains, as the domestication process is cruel by nature.
Want To Advocate for Elephants? Don’t Ride Them.
Find reputable sanctuaries through reviews like Responsible Vacation’s Elephant Conservation Vacations and Responsible Thailand UK’s 13 Ethical Elephant Sanctuaries, or by searching the internet for humane elephant interactions in southeast Asia.
Most importantly, never support an organization that offers elephant rides or chains its elephants.
Elephant Advocate 