The government in Thai is urging tourists to boycott the riding of elephants after more terrible photos appeared showing animal abuse. The photos are believed to be taken in Phuket, a popular tourist destination, and show the gentle giants with blood pouring down their heads.
This is probably a consequence of the repeated cuts from a metal bull hook and they’ve now been shared with the rest of the world. In another image, one can see several scars on the top of the elephants’ heads from older wounds.
Tourists Are Urged to Stop Paying for Elephant Rides
According to Twitter user Faizal Ghazali who shared the photos in April this year, we can stop inhumane behavior and the torture of elephants by avoiding elephant tours.
His tweet with the photos went viral again after being retweeted more than 18600 times and has more than 7,400 likes.
Dozens of users on Twitter also condemned the abuse of elephants in the comment section. According to the Thai government, they have distanced themselves from this popular attraction for tourists.
A spokesperson from the Tourism of Thailand said that they never support tourists who ride the elephants.
The World Animal Protection notes that there are around 3000 captive elephants in tourist areas across Asia and most of them live in cruel and unacceptable conditions.
In a report by the WAP, you can find several venues which don’t offer cruel elephant attractions. The charity emphasizes that elephants are wildlife, not entertainment.
What’s Thailand Doing to Prevent Animal Cruelty?
Currently, there are 3500 wild and 4500 domesticated elephants in the country; however, though wild elephants are protected according to the national law, the domesticated ones are seen as working animals.
The government of Thailand has tried several methods to fight off animal abuse, including animal abuse, policies, rehabilitation of injured animals, and eliminating illegal trade with wild animals.
They urge tourists to help fight off cruelty by boycotting attractions that exploit these animals for entertainment.
The Sad Lives of Captive Animals
The taming of elephants is as terrible as the treatment they undergo throughout their “work”. A lot of them are beaten with bull hooks and sharp objects to behave and the abuse continues as they’re in captivation.
Elephants are also divided from mothers as calves to endure a lifetime full of abuse.
Sanctuaries like the Elephant Valley help fight off the abuse of animals and allow animals to roam free. They’re fed by humans once per day; unlike when they’re captivated and are being forced to perform to entertain humans.
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