How to be an elephant friendly traveller

Thousands of travellers head to an elephant sanctuary every year but it may not actually be a sanctuary they are visiting. The Cambridge dictionary refers to a sanctuary as somewhere safe but this is most certainly not always the case with elephant ‘sanctuaries’. A true elephant sanctuary would be sustainable and ethical. This means that a sanctuary should be able to continue existing the way it is currently is and that these gentle giants should be enduring no harm.

Read on to find out why and how to become an elephant friendly traveller and what warning signs to look out for.

• Why is it important to be an elephant-friendly traveller?
• Top tips for becoming an elephant friendly traveller.
• Ethical elephant sanctuaries.

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Why is it important to be an elephant friendly traveller?

The world is now home to only about 415 000 elephants, their numbers are rapidly dwindling. This is in part due to illegal wildlife trade. The reason for why this horrific crime happens is simply because elephants can make people money. The people in charge of these elephants charge tourists into paying for what they think is a wonderfully elephant friendly experience.

However, for elephants to allow people to ride them, they have first endured brutal treatment in an attempt to break their spirit. This occurs to such an extent that they will accept any form of human contact and eventually perform ‘circus tricks’. This process is disgustingly known as ‘the crush’. Such treatment usually begins when the elephants are just babies. They are taken away from their mothers and placed in a small space where they are not able to move. Baby elephants are then beaten up, threatened with bull hooks, starved and deprived of sleep. The threats sadly continue throughout the elephants life to force them to behave.

By being an elephant friendly traveller you are ensuring that you are supporting a sanctuary which loves and cares for these beautiful beasts. Your money will be going towards keeping the elephants well fed and future elephant rescues. So please do your research before booking a so called ‘elephant sanctuary’. As wonderful as the site makes it appear, there may be darkness behind the scenes.

For proof of this hideous treatment towards elephants take a look at this video.

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Top tips for becoming an elephant friendly traveller

Although many sanctuaries ‘look’ ethical and sustainable, this does not mean they are. Remember that those allowing physical contact with the elephants, especially baby elephants are neither sustainable or ethical. This is because these elephants will likely have been beaten into submission. If any of the things mentioned below are advertised then stay away. Or better yet, share a warning on social media about them.

Warning signs to look out for –

• Sanctuaries advertising elephant riding – this is not acceptable under any circumstance
• Sanctuaries advertising ‘circus acts’, bathing and painting
• Temples offering ‘blessings’ from elephants
• Places that involve elephant breeding

Elephant friendly signs to look out for –

• Sanctuaries that educate the public on conservation
• The chance to watch elephants in their natural habitat
• Sanctuaries that have rescued elephants from captivity

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Ethical elephant sanctuaries

These loving creatures deserve a life of pure joy. Not a life of cruelty. A true sanctuary works hard to improve the welfare and development of elephants while educating visitors about this ancient endangered species. They also employ local people and buy supplies locally. Therefore, as well as bringing happiness to each and every elephant that they rescue, they also support the people of the community and keep the areas culture alive.

Check out these true elephant havens –

• Ethical jungle sanctuary in Thailand
• Boon Lotts in Thailand
• Mandalao in Africa
• WildlifeSOS in India
• Mwaluganje in Kenya

Check out these other ethical activities from around the world.

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Please be an elephant friendly traveller

REMEMBER – be as sure as you possibly can about whether an elephant sanctuary is truly a sanctuary or not before booking an experience with them. Don’t let them ‘elephant wash’ you. Lets do all we can to get this message out there! Elephants are such incredibly majestic ancient creatures that deserve nothing but our complete respect and our total admiration.

So please share this post, not for my sake but for the sake of every elephant out there who has been torn away from it’s mother and horrifically mistreated throughout the remainder of it’s life. The fact that there are humans capable of imparting such an abhorring act upon such gentle caring creatures is beyond any comprehension. It completely and utterly disgusts me.

Can you do all elephants and future elephants a favour by signing this petition please. They will be forever grateful. Thank you.