Tourist Demand For Performing Elephants Drives the Industry
World Animal Protection, a non-governmental organization (NGO) has produced a video which proves that captive elephants held for the tourist entertainment industry (elephant tourism) in Thailand continue to suffer horrific abuse (training methods used to break them; break meaning to break the little elephants down, to destroy their spirits, to “kill their souls”) as the demand for performing elephants, in Thailand at least, continues to this day.
As long as humans attend attractions that offer elephants trained “to paint, spin hoops, carry passengers and stand on their hind legs,” (anything other than observing elephants in their natural environment in the wild, or at an ethical sanctuary) our elephants will continue to suffer & to needlessly die.
It is so difficult to watch these videos but it is so important to discuss them. And, please, never participate in activities where elephants are used for entertainment (performing elephants , elephant rides or elephant massages) in any way.
Image CC Flickr by pierre pouliquin close up of Elephant’s Trunk Painting, Thailand Elephant Show
(WAP official watching hidden video)…”They are taking, taking the calf away… this is the mother, …” (WAP official, clip 2) “To have the sharp hook, you know, scratching on their forehead until it is bloody… this is not only… this is not only physically that they are hurting, (WAP official getting emotional) but it is… you are killing their soul. So that it is not only the staff at World Animal Protection that find this (unintelligible) really traumatic but I do believe that all of us, if you have seen this or you will see this you will feel the same. Yeah.”
(WAP official, Clip 3) “An elephant is such a very intelligent creature, being separated from their mother, it is just like that, it is not like they are happy at all. As you noted, the elephants, they are together (unintelligible) they look after each, each, each other so the only thing like like that it is very inhumane. Yeah.” said Roatchana Sungthong, World Animal Protection country director, Thailand.
Notable segments, WARNING DISTRESSING FOOTAGE (filmed secretly, by WAP, at several training camps from Dec 2018 to Jan 2020), from YouTube Video: “Footage released by animal rights group shows “abusive” training of Thai elephants” by Worldwide News
Baby elephant screams (2:51) as man repeatedly hits her with a bull hook, using a scraping motion, on the top of her head
(2:57) baby elephant being forced walk on her hind legs along a road (awkwardly hunched over) under threat by a man with a bull hook.
(3:26) baby elephant taking blows to her forehead from man using bull hook
(5:52) adorable baby elephant sleeping peacefully in holding pen at elephant attraction
To be continued: “You Are Killing Their Soul”: Animal Welfare NGO Releases Distressing Video Footage of Abusive Methods Used to Break Baby Elephants in Thailand Training Camp : Part 2
Images: by WAP Baby Elephant named Boonshoo in Training Being Pulled Away from Mother Elephant named Gintaala ; & CC Flickr by pierre pouliquin close up of Elephants Trunk Painting Thailand Elephant Show
World Animal Protection (WOP)
World Animal Protection NGO wiki
World Animal Protection YouTube Channel
Elephant Spoken Here facebook
Image: by WAP, Baby Elephant, named Boonshoo, in Training Being Pulled Away from Mother Elephant named Gintaala
This is really not acceptable. How they can do this? Elephants have their own life. Why a baby elephant is separated by his mother?
Ishita:
This is the cruel reality of how baby elephants / all elephants are treated and abused when they are being prepared for a life entertaining humans in an elephant show. You are right, this is unacceptable. The physical and emotional abuse that our elephants must endure is beyond cruel.
That is why people cannot support the elephant tourism industry that includes these venues that train elephants to paint pictures, to walk on their hind legs, to dance, to ride tricycles, to give rides and more.
Elephants deserve to live, protected, in their natural environment, in the wild. One never comes between a baby elephant and a mother elephant in the wild.
Thank you for caring about elephants. It takes caring individuals like you to share the message that this abuse of our elephants must end, today.