The tourism industry neglects the significant risks to unsuspecting tourists and staff during captive elephant interactions, such as bathing, and the immense suffering this causes the animals.
A Spanish tourist has tragically lost their life during an elephant bathing experience in Thailand.
World Animal Protection is saddened by this heartbreaking incident. This tragedy highlights the urgent need to address the serious risks and ethical concerns associated with the exploitation of captive elephants in tourism.
Katheryn Wise, Wildlife Campaign Manager:
This is a tragedy and our thoughts are with Ms Ojanguren's family. Elephants are large, unpredictable wild animals and should never be used for tourist entertainment.
They endure deeply cruel training methods from an early age to break their spirit and the suffering continues throughout their entire lives in captivity.
The tourist industry overlooks the huge risk to tourists and staff during these interactions as well as the animal suffering involved and as long as this continues heart-breaking tragedies like this will continue to happen to unsuspecting tourists. This unfortunate incident highlights the inherent risks of using elephants in tourism activities designed for human entertainment.
Such practices not only endanger the safety of tourists and mahouts but also negatively impact the welfare of the elephants involved.
We are urging for an end to such exploitative practices. Wildlife belongs in the wild.
Wildlife entertainment puts tourists at risk
The tragic incident comes just weeks after the Chitwan Elephant Festival in Nepal used captive elephant performances to attract tourists.
Despite growing awareness of the cruelty behind such practices, travel platforms like GetYourGuide continue to sell tickets to activities involving captive elephants. By doing so, they knowingly support an industry built on exploitation and put unsuspecting tourists in harm's way.
There is an increasing global demand for ethical tourism. We urge travel companies to stop promoting and profiting from cruel practices and instead support wildlife-friendly alternatives that prioritise animal welfare.
Venues currently hosting exploitative activities can transition into sanctuaries or education centers, where animals are cared for in natural environments and tourists can observe them responsibly.
Governments, including Thailand’s, must also take decisive action on global calls to end the breeding of captive elephants, to ensure this cruel cycle comes to an end.
Together, we can create a future where both animals and tourists are safe.
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