Standing in the burning heat, jabbed with metal hooks, with chains cutting into their flesh – this is the cruel reality behind elephant tourism in Thailand.
Elephant-related tourism in Thailand is a £415million-a-year industry (Image: Save Elephant Foundation)
Elephant-related tourism in Thailand is a £415million-a-year industry and is based on stealing calves from their mothers and breaking their spirits with sickening cruelty before turning them into photo opportunities. Despite the savage treatment, a proposed UK government ban on the promotion of holiday venues abroad where elephants are abused was paused earlier this year.
The process where the calves are taken to secret training camps, beaten, starved and tortured is called “pajan”.
The animals endure brutality for at least six months, all day, every day (Image: Jonathan Buckmaster)
Life for these elephants involves a great deal of pain, fear, dehydration, malnutrition, abuse, suffering and humiliation. Many are on the brink of death and beaten with a bullhook. With its metal spike and curved blade, this weapon would not look out of place on a medieval battlefield.
Signs at Khao Kheow said their elephants were chained as a safety measure for the public “because they can be very aggressive”. They even stated that they are doing this as “animal welfare” is the zoo’s “first priority”.
A least 1,200 UK firms are promoting 277 venues and profiting from elephant torture (Image: Jonathan Buckmaster)
Many elephants are on the brink of death and beaten with a bullhook (Image: Jonathan Buckmaster)
“They endure lives of total domination and exploitation, often denied food and water for many hours and kept in shackles, unable to take more than a step in any direction, when they’re not being forced to do something for human benefit.
Life for these elephants involves a great deal of pain, fear, malnutrition, abuse and more