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Why Elephant Rides are Abusive (VIDEOS)

Elephant rides have long been advertised as an enchanting experience, offering tourists a chance to connect with the creatures up close. However, beneath it all lies a dark reality: the abuse of elephants for entertainment purposes. According to one study, an elephant giving rides is the equivalent of a human carrying 50 pounds for 9 hours a day. While the allure of riding these gentle giants may seem innocent, the truth reveals a stark contrast—a reality where exploitation and suffering are common.

1. Elephant Tourism Training

Source: Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand/Youtube

From using whips and harnesses to inflicting other abuse on elephants, the clips above reveal the dark reality of training elephants for tourism purposes. The trainers in this video abuse bay elephants relentlessly after catching them from the wild. They ride on the elephants, preparing them for the rest of their lives as human entertainment. If the elephants don’t listen, they hit them hard enough that they bleed.

2. The Scary Truth of Elephant Rides

Source: The Dodo/Youtube

While two friends were traveling in Thailand, they were overwhelmed by the beauty of the country. Until they saw the heartbreaking reality of elephant riding. They witnessed a tourist on top of an elephant with a tour guide perched near the animal’s head. When the elephant stopped, the tour guide smashed it in the head with a hammer. This was only the beginning of the horror that they witnessed throughout the country. Elephants were chained up, being beaten, and locked in tiny cages.

3. Why Elephant Riding Is Bad

Source: The Planet Voice/Youtube

Despite elephants being large and strong, they are not cut out to carry weight on their back. The curve of their spine is not supposed to have anything pressing down on it – especially not heavy loads of tourists. This pressure can break the back of the elephant.

4. Abusive “Training” of Elephants

Source: worldwide news/Youtube

World Animal Protection, a wildlife charity, released footage that sparked animal cruelty investigations. The videos depict the abuse that elephants in Thailand go through to be “trained” so that they can perform tricks and carry tourists for rides. The footage was filmed secretly by a member of the Animal rights organization and reveals baby elephants being taken away from their mothers, left isolated, and undergoing a four-step training program that involves beatings.

5. Joymala’s Screams

Source: PETA/Youtube

The elephant in the video above is Joymala. She has been beaten, violently hit, and illegally imprisoned at a temple where she is chained up for 16 hours a day.

Exploiting elephants for human entertainment must come to an end. As awareness grows and travelers become more conscious of the ethical implications of their actions, there is hope for change. By supporting responsible tourism practices and advocating for the welfare of elephants, we can strive towards a future where these incredible creatures are revered and respected, rather than exploited for profit.