Elephant-friendly tourism: our guide to avoiding venues that don't have elephants’ best interests at heart
Responsible tourism: alternatives to elephant cruelty
Right now, thousands of elephants around the world are suffering in the name of tourism - but it doesn’t have to be this way.
Right now, thousands of elephants around the world are suffering in the name of tourism - but it doesn’t have to be this way.
The best place to see elephants is in the wild. But if you are planning to visit an elephant venue, make sure it allows elephants to be elephants, while informing visitors of their complex needs.
Elephants are mistreated at entertainment venues
Elephants are mistreated at entertainment venues
Many tourists are unaware that elephants performing tricks or giving rides have been stolen from the wild or bred in captivity. That calves have been torn from their mothers, isolated and left without food and water. Or that beatings and intense trauma break their wild spirit and terrify them into obedience. Use our guide to find the right venue for you and for elephants
Surrounded by crowds
Chained and confined
Trained to perform
After tourist shows elephants can be surrounded by crowds for selfie opportunities.
Credit: World Animal Protection
An elephant kept on a chain - likely used for rides or performances for tourists. World Animal Protection believes that wild animals should be left in the wild and not used for our entertainment.
Credit: World Animal Protection
Asian elephants may be trained, using a stick with a sharp hook, to perform tricks for crowds of tourists.
Credit: World Animal Protection
Elephant-friendly tourism: a simple guide
Elephants are wild animals that belong in the wild. If a venue allows you to get close enough to ride, bath or touch them, it’s because they’ve been cruelly trained.
Elephants in the wild spend their days roaming long distances, grazing and socialising with other elephants, not confined in small enclosures or forced to perform.
Baby elephants are tourist magnets, but true elephant-friendly venues shouldn’t allow breeding. You shouldn’t be seeing young elephants, except for orphanages where babies are rescued from the wild. .
Being wild animals, captive elephants can be unpredictable and dangerous, especially if they're being crowded. Many tourists and mahouts are injured and killed each year. Even in elephant-friendly venues you’ll often see mahouts accompanying elephants at a distance, to keep everyone safe.
As well as responsible tourism, you can also help by raising awareness: sharing your experience and leaving reviews on popular travel information sites like TripAdvisor, and being part of the movement to create a better future for elephants.
- Only visit venues where you can look, not touch.
- If the elephants in a venue are not allowed to move freely and express natural behaviour, it’s not the place for you.
- They might be cute, but if you can see or touch a baby elephant, especially without its mum, then the venue is not elephant-friendly.
- Elephants should always be treated with kindness and respect, and hooks shouldn’t be used unless in a real emergency.
ChangChill: better for elephants, better for tourism
A venue where elephants are free to behave like elephants
We spent several years helping one venue become truly elephant friendly. With our support, together with support from the TUI Care Foundation, and the encouragement from some of the world’s leading travel companies, Thailand's ChangChill is now a place where elephants can be elephants, and tourists can have the honour of witnessing that.
What's in a name?
A venue may call itself a sanctuary, rescue centre or retirement home for elephants, but don’t assume this means it’s higher welfare. Do your research before booking and use our guide below to avoid being misled.
We have created the following list of some venues we know are doing the right thing for elephants.
Thailand:
- ChangChill
- Boon Lott's Elephant Sanctuary
- Burm and Emily's Elephant Sanctuary
- Elephant Nature Park
- Elephant Valley Thailand
- Following Giants
- Global Vision International
- Mahouts Elephant Foundation
- Phuket Elephant Sanctuary
- Samboon Legacy
Cambodia:
Nepal:
You can find our full list of how elephant venues are performing here.
Elephants need your protection
Across the world, elephants are secretly abused in the name of entertainment. Your support could help give suffering elephants a safe and happy life in a peaceful forest home
We want to end elephant abuse forever, and we have a plan. With trusted partners in the industry, we're working with tourist venues in Thailand to transform venues into destinations that are elephant-friendly, creating habitats for elephants to live happy and healthy lives.
Your support could make such a difference. Please can you help end an elephant's pain?
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