Blog about Thailand
Look no further than these responsible elephant sanctuaries that offer a natural and ethical way to see these incredible gentle giants Elephant Nature Park. The Surin Project. Boon Lott’s Elephant Sanctuary . Friends of the Asian Elephant Hospital. Elephant Haven. Burm and Emily’s Elephant Sanctuary . Elephants World.
The national symbol of Thailand , elephants are admired for their strength, endurance and intelligence. They have long had a role in Thai society; elephants were used in warfare centuries ago, and they also hauled logs and farm produce.
Millions of people want selfies riding elephants , or washing them, or patting their trunks. WAP researchers assessed almost 3,000 elephants and found that more than three quarters were living in “severely cruel ” conditions.
Interacting with the animals is one of the country’s major tourism draws, and a new organization is trying to make it more humane. More than half of Thailand’s 7,000 elephants live in captivity. But many of the so-called elephant camps let visitors bathe with them and ride them.
True sanctuaries never buy, sell, trade, breed, exploit, or profit from elephants . They never use bullhooks or punish elephants in other ways (even out of tourists’ sight), and they don’t force animals who naturally avoid humans into close contact with them.
Thailand . Elephant Nature Park, Chiang Mai. Elephant Nature Park – A retirement home for rescued elephants , founded by Lek Chailert, renowned elephant conservationist. Burm and Emily’s Elephant Sanctuary – Permanent home for old, retired and injured elephants , offering feeding and walking alongside them.
Wisdom & Loyalty: Elephant symbolism also represents sensitivity, wisdom, stability, loyalty, intelligence, peace, reliability and determination, which are all seen in the animal’s nature when observed in the wild. Elephants are gentle giants, who show great care toward their herd, offspring and elders.
Thai culture celebrates the elephant as a symbol of fortune. The superstitious will pay money to pass underneath the beast’s body in the hopes of gaining the animal’s luck . Besides being superstitious, one must also be brave as elephants are the largest land animals in existence today.
The three headed elephant image is Buddhist/Hindu in origin – it’s called Airavata (or Erawan in Thai & Cambodia). The elephant has always been a symbol of greatness, wisdom and as a vehicle of transportation. Many former Lao kings prized these huge elephant beasts, especially the light color/albino breeds.
The lack of exercise and long hours spent standing on hard surfaces are major contributors to serious foot problems, arthritis, and back injuries. Most captive elephants die decades short of their normal lifespan.
In Thailand, you can avail an elephant ride at an affordable range. The comprehensive package including the ride, feeding and taking photos with the elephants will cost around 950 Baht ( Rs 2230) per person.
They are also starved and deprived of sleep, in order to crush their spirits and become submissive to humans. This is an accepted practice in Thailand , and many elephants you will see in trekking camps will have undergone this horrific process.
False. Once fully trained, elephants used for riding will need to carry at least one person on its back, either on a blanket or saddle, but often with no padding at all. Carrying just one adult on its back can cause the elephant pain and over time, potentially even spinal injury .
But , elephants are not domesticated like horses , they are trained. Horses have been bread to more comfortable around people, by people for hundred of years, and they will let people ride them more easily. But Elephants are wild, and it can be a dramatic experience, training them to be ridable.
We are one of the few zoos in the United States to offer an African elephant ride with an opportunity for hands-on interaction.