Advertisement

Asia’s elephants are the hidden victims of the pandemic

Wild elephants in Jim Corbett National Park, India - getty
Wild elephants in Jim Corbett National Park, India - getty

The sickening rise of exploitative elephant tourism, combined with the risk of Covid-19, has become a 'perfect storm of dangers' animal welfare experts warn

To witness elephants beaten, bloodied and injured, their natural lives forfeit – all in the name of tourism profits – is an outrage and a tragedy. And yet, this sordid practice takes place all over South-East Asia – in order to ‘break the spirits’ of elephants for easy tourism use. That much of this horror is driven by the UK market is cause for national shame.

How did Britain’s tourism industry sink to this? Since the 1960s, the package tour boom has fuelled intense demand for elephant attractions, triggering increased snatching of calves from the wild for riding, football, painting and other ‘entertainment’ – all based on ruthless ‘breaking’.

The UK plays a leading role in stoking demand, but also in supplying tourists to the elephant home states of South-East Asia – far more than any other European country (two million holidaymakers to India and Thailand in 2018 and 2019). In 2016, there were 13 million elephant rides in Thailand alone.

Little is done to alert tourists to the dangers posed by elephants that have been tortured beyond their endurance: they attack, often fatally. Yet destinations with such records remain widely marketed by UK travel companies.

What of Covid? Broken elephants, held in fetid close confinement and denied any exercise (in the wild they typically walk 60km a day) are highly effective transmitters of deadly airborne viruses like TB, SARS and Ebola. As scientific enquiry advances, the risk they shed Covid-19, too, is obvious. The people of India, home to two thirds of surviving Asian elephants and desperately struggling with Covid, are at further risk from this reckless promotion of unscrupulous venues – a perfect storm of dangers when restrictions ease.

An exhausted elephant in South-East Asia - STAE
An exhausted elephant in South-East Asia - STAE

Save The Asian Elephants (STAE) urges new UK law to ban the advertising, promotion and sale of ‘elephant tourism’ venues – in favour of genuine sanctuaries, where elephants live as natural a life as possible, observed by tourists at a distance safe for both.

STAE aims to shine a light on the exploitation of elephants – which has long been suppressed by those profiting from it. Our research shows the widespread, systematic, violent abuse of highly endangered baby and adult Asian elephants at thousands of tourist venues across South-East Asia.

Even more sickeningly, those same venues are unwittingly promoted in the UK market by hundreds of travel businesses. When challenged, many routinely cite ‘errors’ on their website (but continue selling such places). They say “we’re getting round to changing” (but don’t), or “we’ve never done that” (until shown screenshots) – and so on. Candour is a rare bird.

But as the mantle of secrecy starts slipping to reveal the horrors, public disgust has soared. Populus polling this summer shows 90 per cent of Britons demanding an end to tourism abuse of elephants – 79 per cent want STAE’s new law now.

STAE’s petition nears 1 million signatories, with 28 million more from aligned petitions. People and specialist organisations from every sphere of influence, authority and celebrity in the UK back such law, including every leading faith in the UK and SE Asia and all major parties at Westminster.

'Our research shows the widespread abuse of highly endangered baby and adult Asian elephants at tourist venues across South-East Asia' - STAE
'Our research shows the widespread abuse of highly endangered baby and adult Asian elephants at tourist venues across South-East Asia' - STAE

Is Government acting? STAE is in discussion with the Government at senior levels to progress its policies – joint Anglo-Indian projects to improve elephant treatment, veterinary exchange programmes, promotion of excellent ethical, sustainable companies and sanctuaries – and, above all, new law. Last October (2019) Environment Minister Zac Goldsmith helpfully asked STAE for draft legislation: the Asian Elephants (Tourism) Bill. We await a statement from Oliver Dowden, Culture and Media Secretary.

Above all, collectively and in tens of millions we urge our head of government to act, before it is too late. In Joanna Lumley’s words: “We say to the Prime Minister: please help end this callous abuse by making such unethical advertising illegal. We trust you make a compassionate decision. And speed is of the essence”.

Duncan McNair is a lawyer and founder and CEO of Save The Asian Elephants: stae.org. STAE’s petition for change can be signed at bit.ly/STAEpetition.