End of road for elephant rides?

End of road for elephant rides?
By admin


In an effort to help end pain and suffering inflicted upon animals through tourism, companies are rethinking their stance on "unnatural" performances such as elephant rides and tiger temple visits.

An extensive three-year research project into the welfare of captive elephants has seen Intrepid Travel put an end to elephant rides on its itineraries.

Conducted by the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), the research found that “unnatural” performances by elephants causes both "pain and suffering" to the animals, and is a contributing factor to poaching.

“We applaud recent moves in the tourism industry to end elephant rides,” Intrepid co-founder Geoff Manchester said.

However, he insisted that more can be done to protect wild animals from cruelty.

“The issues are complex around animals in captivity, which is why Intrepid has been partnered with WSPA for many years, and have been able to tap into their expertise on animal protection.”

In its advice to tourists to ensure the ethical treatment of animals, WSPA advises that travellers avoid riding wild animals such as elephants.

“These animals are often captured from the wild, treated poorly and trained using inhumane methods,” it said.

Intrepid’s decision to end visits to these “entertainment venues” was followed this week by STA Travel’s announcement it would also stop selling elephant rides and tiger temple visits.

The company is also undertaking a review of other animal-based excursions such as SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida, which has come under scrutiny for its treatment of whales in capitivty as highlighted in the documentary Blackfish.

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