5 reasons to visit an ethical elephant sanctuary – and where you can find them

Sep 16 , 2019

Elephants at ethical elephant sanctuaries will spend time with you because they want to, not because they are forced to do so. Photo: Aquabumps/Samui Elephant Sanctuary

We’d love it if elephants could roam the world freely, but that is not always an option

We all love elephants. How could you not? They are massive, incredibly intelligent, highly social, cuddly and cute.

Maybe we will have dreams about getting elephant hugs, too. How much fun would it be to get wrapped up in an elephant’s trunk (as long as it’s not damp and muddy)?

However, elephants have not been treated well by humans – in the past or at the present time. So, while we’d love it if they could roam the world freely, it is not always an option because of issues such as deforestation, poaching and illegal logging.

The need to place elephants in habitats has led to the rise of elephant tourism throughout Asia and Africa.

You could pop into many tourist attractions to see our gorgeous friends up close, but it is advisable that you visit an ethical elephant sanctuary.

Check out five reasons such an environment is best.

1. You’re not breaking their backs

Riding elephants leads to chronic pain and injuries for the elephants. Photo: Anaïs Buan/Unsplash

You’ve probably admired many images of people riding elephants and thought about what a wonderful experience it would be.

However, erase that thought from your mind – and never consider it again. Although their frames are large, these gentle giants were never meant to carry large loads (that includes humans). The weight of the harnesses, seating platforms and people can often exceed 300kg (660 pounds).

Having to carry people over a long period damages elephants’ spines and leads to chronic pain and broken backs. You wouldn’t want to contribute to an elephant’s suffering, would you?