AsiaLIFE Media Vol. 101
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS PUBLISHING HOUSE
To ride or not to ride an elephant, that is the question. Monica Majors has your answer.
38 AsiaLIFE HCMC
O
n the two-month death anniversary of a female Asian elephant who fatally collapsed in Siem Reap, Cambodia, I visited Chiang Rai, Thailand, with the intention of freeing the 21 elephants in residence at the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation camp. Just kidding, I actually booked myself in at the five-star Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp and Resort with the intention of hopping on top of an elephant. Because, there’s nothing wrong with riding elephants*.
Crushing the Rumours
If you’re still reading this article, it’s because you’re either enraged by the above statement or you’re curious to learn why I would write such an opposing statement to the current publicised sentiment surrounding the matter. Well, let me tell you that I turned 180-degrees on the subject. I used to sit behind my computer, cry at PETA posts and curse at people saddled atop the world’s largest terrestrial mammal. I was a masochist who insisted on watching the video of the phajaan – or “crushing” an elephant for training purposes – on repeat. I was so angry that I decided not only to never ride such a majestic creature, but to be part of the process to ensure others were equally as enlightened. What I did not realise was that in doing so, I was part of the problem rather than part of the solution. Something that John Roberts, director of elephants and conservation activities at Anantara Golden Triangle, sees and combats every single day. Does his name ring a bell? Whenever stories run with unfortunate news about captive elephants, Roberts is inevitably the expert contacted and quoted. When I met him I wasn’t quite sure where to start. I had so many questions. So, I bought him a Beerlao and let him talk.
A Perfect Solution in an Imperfect World
Roberts set up the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation (GTAEF) in 2005, a camp that currently houses 21 elephants with their 26 mahouts - the owner/trainer of the elephant. Together they rent out their services to two hotels in Chiang Rai, Anantara Golden Triangle and Four Seasons Tented Camp. “GTAEF strongly believes that in an ideal world all elephants would be wild. This is unfortunately not the case, so until we reach that point, GTAEF aims to assist captive elephants, improving their lives and welfare, while also taking part in conservation and wild elephant programs to ensure the survival of the wild herd,” says Roberts. “We perform rescues for elephants, mahouts and families; we cooperate with the government and other organisations in ‘bigger picture’ projects; and, at all times, we endeavour to ensure that net good is done and that our actions in helping one elephant do not adversely affect others.” A pioneer of such camps, it is the first
to adopt the business model of renting elephants and insisting the current mahout comes with, in exchange for tourism services. Other camps will outright buy the elephant, which can then leave the mahout out of a job (often without any other work experience on which to fall back on), and a pocket full of money. This frees the mahout to buy another elephant or potentially steal from the wild and sell again. Here, the mahout and his family are provided with accommodation, fair compensation, plus life and health insurance. The elephant has life insurance, all veterinary services and food paid for (usually 250-300 kilos per day, per elephant). In exchange, mahouts and their elephants offer experiences of low impact, which includes riding. Not all the elephants engage in activities, based on their personalities and history. Some elephants simply need to live in sanctuary, which the camp and resort also provide. For those that do work during the day, they retire in the afternoon to graze the grasslands on a 25-metre tethered chain. Why chains? Because they don’t cause burns and can be broken, unlike a much prettier and less macabre nylon leash or rope. Anantara Golden Triangle was also the first to offer guests the opportunity to learn to be a mahout. Called the ‘Mahout Experience’, guests are taught how to command an elephant, then climb atop the gentle giant and ride bareback on its thick and bristly neck before being led into the Ruak River for a communal bathing experience. The activity has since been adopted at other ethical riding camps. Just over a year ago the resort introduced another experience called “Walking with Giants,” in which guests can opt to walk alongside the elephants rather than ride atop. However, the mahout experience continues to be a guest favourite, and there’s no indication that riding will stop any time soon. “Firstly, we want to be a benchmark for other camps,” says Robers. “While we can afford to discontinue riding tomorrow, not all camps can. Many travellers want to ride elephants, and that’s okay. Through veterinary and animal behaviour studies conducted, there is no evidence to show that, when handled properly, training or riding an elephant is inhumane.” This caveat comes with an asterisk; the same one that I used earlier.
*A Giant Step
Yes, there are unethical sanctuaries and riding camps, and yes, you should do your homework before paying money for this bucket-list experience. Currently this is a mammoth task for the uneducated and unaware public, as best practices are both unavailable and, therefore, unenforced for the management of elephant camps. Thankfully, there is support already on the way to make this easier. Formed in June 2015, the Asian Captive Elephant Working Group (ACEWG) brings together elephant specialists, veterinarians, researchers, camp managers and conservationists who, “recognize the urgency to, proactively and with sound scientific knowledge, address the current situation of elephants in tourism in ASEAN countries.” There are approximately 4,500 captive elephants in Thailand, and while we collectively wish them to be wild, it’s simply not that simple. ACEWG has recognised 15 key indicators in the industry that collectively call for a set of guidelines and
certifying principles to which elephant camps and sanctuaries must adhere. Like all committees, it isn’t without some internal debate. For example, some camps want to encourage captive breeding, while others (such as GTAEF) want to see wild herds grow, rather than those in captivity. Regardless, there are 11 common goals which all members of the ACEWG agree, including “improving captive elephant welfare by supporting quality mahouts and protecting elephants from abuse and misuse by humans,” and “eliminating the capture of wild elephants for any commercial purpose whatsoever from within ASEAN countries.” Yes, Vietnam, you’re included here. If you’re keen to get up close to one of the world’s most heralded creatures, then I suggest you start by asking questions. A good one to ask is, “how many veterinarians do you have on staff?” You don’t have to ride, but if it’s media-propelled guilt that is holding you back, choose to be part of the conservation and don’t feed the trolls.
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