Elephants in Thailand have fallen victim to human use and abuse for centuries- transporting heavy loads, shuttling around humans, circuses, and even war. As the elephant population has dwindled and animal rights has become a more pressing and talked about issue, sanctuaries and nature reserves have sprung up across the country to offer care for these gentle giants.
Visiting one of said sanctuaries is a quintennial Thailand bucket list experience.
But there’s a problem. Not all “sanctuaries” are as “ethical” as they say…or as you might think.
I fell victim to the guise of “ethical” for my first elephant experience at the Pattaya Elephant Jungle Sanctuary because, well, I didn’t know any better. On paper, everything seemed fine. Great even. The experience was centered on education and helping the elephants, all of which were rescued. We got to feed them, walk with them, and even bathe them. Useful information was given every step of the way. Everyone got a fun poncho that made for great, “Look world, I’m in Thailand!” photos, and I thought I was doing something to help the elephants.
Once the travel high wore off and I started to do some research. I realized that the experience wasn’t as ethical as I thought. Elephants aren’t meant to eat, bathe, walk, and swim at the whim of tourists. Sure, it’s better than riding experiences and circuses, but so much close human interaction is a huge red flag. (Check out the deep dive HERE)
Four years later, I’m back in Thailand. I set out to find an ethical elephant experience, and I think I did…
Elephant Nature Park.
Let’s dive into what a truly ethical sanctuary looks like, and if Elephant Nature Park fits the bill.
1. No Riding
Elephants are massive creatures. A couple extra hundred pounds won’t matter, right? WRONG!
Physically, elephant spines are rounded and not suited to carry heavy loads. Riding contractions can lead to painful wounds as well as spinal injuries. Mentally, the process of domesticating elephants to give rides is flat out cruel. Tamers use “The Crush”, or ‘phajaan’ to force the elephants into obedience. They tie the elephants up, beat them, and force them into sleep deprivation and starvation to literally crush their spirits. Babies are taken away from their mothers and subjected to crushing as soon as they are born.
Does Elephant Nature Park Fit the Bill?: Yep! Absolutely no riding allowed.
2. VERY limited direct contact, if any.
Excessive human contact can be stressful for elephants. Especially considering the fact that many elephants in sanctuaries have been rescued from traumatic environments and may be suffering from PTSD.
Does Elephant Nature Park Fit The Bill?: Our guide set a very clear rule that we were to step out of the way of the elephants. She knew all the elephants well, and had a firm understanding of their history, medical conditions, and which ones were friendly. There were two females that we were allowed to get in close proximity too. If they reached out to us, we were allowed to give them a little touch back.
It felt as though they were touching us rather than the other way around. Is it totally ethical? The answer is better left to the experts.
3. No feeding
Not only does feeding elephants put you in close contact, but the experience usually involves high sugar foods like bananas. While fruits are a normal part of an elephant’s diet, too much can lead to weight gain which can lead to health issues down the line.
Does Elephant Nature Park Fit the Bill?: Yep! Each elephant has a specific caretaker, and that’s the only person allowed to feed them. While we saw elephants enjoy bananas and watermelon, they also ate plenty of greens, shrubs, and plants. We even saw some reach up into the trees with their noses to pluck some branches down.
4. No bathing
Once again, bathing means close contact, which is not good for the animals. Bathing is also dangerous for humans. Swimming with a 10 ton giant has obvious risks, and splashing around in water filled with feces and urine could lead to disease and health issues.
Does Elephant Nature Park Fit the Bill?: Yep! But we did get to see some elephants swimming from afar.
5. No barriers
Elephants shouldn’t be forced behind barriers. They are familial creatures who live in herds, and a truly ethical sanctuary allows them to roam around and play freely.
Does Elephant Nature Park Fit the Bill?: I did spy a few cage like looking facilities. Perhaps they were for examining and medical care? But every single elephant we saw was out and about. In fact, us humans were the ones put behind barriers to observe the elephants rather than the other way around.
Elephant Nature Park checks most of the boxes and does a pretty darn good job at creating an educational experience.
But there’s a new question, is ANY type of elephant tourism ethical?
One the one hand, wild animals are meant to be in the wild. Containing them and proceeding to sell tickets is innately unnatural and wrong.
However, there’s an unfortunately high number of elephants that have been too damaged to return to the wild. At Elephant Nature Park, there was an elephant with a warped back from pulling rocks, one with half a foot from a dynamite explosion, and one that couldn’t walk properly due to years of chains. Click HERE to meet the herd and read about their stories.
These elephants need human care, and said care ain’t free. Food (each elephant can eat up to 300 pounds of food a day!), medical attention, facility upkeep, and care taker salaries add up. Not to mention Elephant Nature Park also rescues dogs, cats, buffalo, and rabbits. Without the money from ticket sales, it is extremely challenging to keep the animals healthy. A fact that was realized during COVID-19.
Engaging in an ethical elephant experience is a way to support the animals while learning why the cause matters.
In an ideal world, Asian elephants in Thailand could be free to roam around true sanctuaries and reserves without any human interference. But, in case you haven’t turned on the news lately, we don’t live in an ideal world. Injustices and hardships to humans and animals alike are all around us. Education is the first step in sparking change, and the Elephant Nature Park teaches everyone who comes through that the elephants are a cause worth fighting for.
There’s a big elephant in the room…. what does “ethical” even mean?
Everyone’s definition of the word will vary depending on your culture, religion, upbringing, and life experiences. So is Elephant Nature Park “ethical?” I’ll let you decide for yourself.
