Conserve | Elephant Sanctuaries are a reason for Hope

I have had many discussions with people who “refuse” to interact with elephants “in captivity” because it’s not “ethical.” The truth is that conservation is not black and white, and when it comes to the world’s largest land mammal, their biggest threat will always be humans and us stealing their land.

So the only way to protect these animals is for sanctuaries to own the land and forest the elephants live in and, in the best case scenario, have local governments dedicate more diligently protected areas.

Any viable solution comes at a massive cost.

One elephant, on average, costs US$10,000 a month to feed. Thankfully, there are some optimistic and conscientious people who come to Asia to create sanctuaries with the well-being and livelihoods of the mahouts (people who work with, ride, and tend to an elephant) and their elephants in mind.

Having said all of this, beware of green marketing in this specific area of tourism. Do as much research as possible before going to one. And if it feels slightly “off,” say something about it publicly on peer review platforms. Of course, if you love it, you should sing their praises to support the good guys doing good. 

Since around the mid-2010s, awareness of the ethical treatment of elephants has been on the rise, and unbelievable strides have been made in the right direction. When I first moved back to Asia, one of my first trips from Singapore was to Koh Lanta, Thailand, and of course, we went on an elephant ride; we didn’t know any better. This was 2006, with no real internet or social media to be doing research and only word of mouth about the cruelties of elephants in captivity. That was the first and last time that I ever rode an elephant.

The most common place to have an elephant experience is Thailand, specifically Chiang Mai, but Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Indonesia are also home to some great people who are speaking up for the rights and power of elephants.

Wherever you go, here are some red flags to look out for:

• Cages/seats on the back of elephants are NOT OKAY

• Use of hooks is NOT OKAY

• Chains on elephants’ ankles to restrain them overnight are NOT OKAY

• Smallholding pens (like a horse) are NOT OKAY

• The scheduled bathing time for the elephants is acceptable, but it depends on their personalities because it is very stressful for them.

I want to say that (it should go without saying) that the following are very big NOs but just in case:

• Taking photos with baby elephants in any city setting. And it doesn’t matter how drunk you are. The baby elephant was probably taken from its mother too young and should be living in a jungle with its kind

• Buying ivory souvenirs

The best elephant sanctuaries ensure and prioritize the wellness and happiness of the mahouts and peripheral caretakers of these gentle giants as much as the elephants themselves.

These operations only allow you to walk with the elephants as they graze and explore their land, which is owned and protected by their mahouts. If you are lucky, you can enjoy watching them take a bath. Of course, you can also help the keepers and mahouts move their food closer to the elephants and watch them eat.

From personal experience, we can recommend:

1. Mandalao (Luang Prabang, Laos)

2. Boon Lott’s Elephant Sanctuary (Sukhothai, Thailand)

3. Kulen Elephant Foret (Siem Reap, Cambodia)

As we continue exploring further off the banana pancake trail, we will update this list. But for now, keep in mind that by getting away from the “tourist attractions,” you get to experience a country for what it is, no “whitewashing.” And the operators who function off these common paths need the tourism dollar more than the very well-known places. These unique experiences will be more intimate. They might not be doing things perfectly, but if you share information about better practices, they will listen, learn, and adapt. Always choose to support smaller operators.

Two key lessons from all my years of traveling:

1. Everything is interconnected. The best way to protect animals is to protect the environment. The best way to protect the environment is to empower the people who call these places their home and give them an undeniable reason to do so. 

2. As tourists, we have as much power as the local operators, possibly more, to convince the government to change its policies and, if necessary, encourage other operators to evolve their operations for a more sustainable, ethical, and devoted future.

Elephants sanctuaries are a reason for hope

In fighting for equality for all and climate change, I always use elephant sanctuaries as a tangible example. As mentioned, I first arrived back in Southeast Asia in 2006 and went on an elephant riding tour because I did not know any better and to my memory, by 2010, when I moved back to Singapore more permanently and started to explore the region, the most popular elephant sanctuaries were the ones who had adapted to non-riding experiences. The ones who continued with metal cages for tourists to sit on became a rarity. It was not until 2018 that bathing with elephants was also deemed stressful for the elephants and dangerous for the visitors.

Elephant sanctuaries are a source of hope that tourism can demand change. We just need the numbers. Individual action toward combatting plastic pollution, de-colonizing the tourism industry, and protecting the innocence and privacy of villagers, especially children, is also needed.

The way I see it, the more people who know better, the more they need to speak up, and once we hit a tipping point, the old ways will be history.

What about wild elephants?

For those looking for a truly wild elephant experience, please explore Khao Yai National Park just east of Bangkok or Jahout Experience near Sen Monorom in eastern Cambodia.