Angkor Wat Is Finally Putting A Stop To Its Elephant Rides
After growing campaigns against elephant rides, there’s finally some good news. Cambodia is making a difference by deciding to ban elephant rides at its iconic tourist attraction, Angkor Wat, starting in 2020. The outrage started back in 2016 when news emerged of an elephant who collapsed and died from exhaustion after being mercilessly used as a ‘transportation’ for tourists. (Facebook cover image: travelinlibrarian)
Image credits: Moving Animals
In 2018, after another animal died from exhaustion, in under 48 hours over 14,000 people signed the petition to end this cruel practice.
Image credits: Moving Animals
The Angkor Elephant Group Committee has finally put a stop to this animal abuse.
The committee’s director Oan Kiry told The Phnom Penh Post: “In early 2020, our association plans to end the use of elephants to transport tourists. They can still watch the elephants and take photos of them in our conservation and breeding center. We want the elephants to live in as natural a manner as possible”.
Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious monument is visited by 2.5 million international tourists each year. As of now, there are 14 overworked elephants.
Here’s how people reacted
16Kviews
Share on FacebookMy girlfriend and I declined to ride one in Thailand because the handlers used hooks to steer the elephants and the hooks left open sores. We were the only people on the tour to decline.
I'm glad you did! I'm sure that it's due to kind hearted people like you that they are stopping such cruelty.
Load More Replies...That's wonderful news, just curious why they have to wait for the new year to stop.
I remember when I was about 17 years old (I'm 54 now) my mother and I were on vacation in Florida and rode an elephant at the Lion Country Safari Park. It was the most uncomfortable ride I've ever had. There was nothing enjoyable about it and the elephant was so bored. I remember looking into her eyes and thinking she really wanted to be anywhere but here doing anything but this. I also remember thinking that it wasn't worth the money or the effort and I never talked about it. However, my mother was thrilled by it and told her friends and our family about riding the elephant. That's one of the many opposite views of the same shared experiences we've had over the years. Conservation without exploitation is possible.
Such majestic animals. So sad to see them reduced to that. I'm glad that they're stopping.
Some people are trying to fix this sort of horror. Hold on to that.
Load More Replies...Confusing for an outsider. The text reads like all riding on elephants is abusing them? An elephant looks like a much sturdier beast than a horse, camel or donkey. Does looks deceive? Or is it just the overwork and mistreatment they want to put and end to?
In my opinion it is about the horrific way wild elephants are "broken" "tamed" to such a life. You can search that, but it is horrible reading. Using animals this way leads to abuse as the owners push them far past their abilities.
Load More Replies...My grandparents went on holiday to Thailand a few years ago and their holiday group had the option to either go to the pool and chill or bathe, feed and fuss some rescue elephants. They were the only 2 people who opted to wash the elephants. Everyone else just went to the pool with some bragging about an elephant ride they had booked
I am guilty of riding an elephant, many years ago, however, I did not know it was wrong, soon after I did understand, words can not explain how guilty I felt, I was so disgusted with myself, and now as I watch animal documentaries, and other wild animal programs, it is painful to see other animals, abused, or killed and the pet trade,I feel sick, more needs to be done about the pet trade. !!!
My girlfriend and I declined to ride one in Thailand because the handlers used hooks to steer the elephants and the hooks left open sores. We were the only people on the tour to decline.
I'm glad you did! I'm sure that it's due to kind hearted people like you that they are stopping such cruelty.
Load More Replies...That's wonderful news, just curious why they have to wait for the new year to stop.
I remember when I was about 17 years old (I'm 54 now) my mother and I were on vacation in Florida and rode an elephant at the Lion Country Safari Park. It was the most uncomfortable ride I've ever had. There was nothing enjoyable about it and the elephant was so bored. I remember looking into her eyes and thinking she really wanted to be anywhere but here doing anything but this. I also remember thinking that it wasn't worth the money or the effort and I never talked about it. However, my mother was thrilled by it and told her friends and our family about riding the elephant. That's one of the many opposite views of the same shared experiences we've had over the years. Conservation without exploitation is possible.
Such majestic animals. So sad to see them reduced to that. I'm glad that they're stopping.
Some people are trying to fix this sort of horror. Hold on to that.
Load More Replies...Confusing for an outsider. The text reads like all riding on elephants is abusing them? An elephant looks like a much sturdier beast than a horse, camel or donkey. Does looks deceive? Or is it just the overwork and mistreatment they want to put and end to?
In my opinion it is about the horrific way wild elephants are "broken" "tamed" to such a life. You can search that, but it is horrible reading. Using animals this way leads to abuse as the owners push them far past their abilities.
Load More Replies...My grandparents went on holiday to Thailand a few years ago and their holiday group had the option to either go to the pool and chill or bathe, feed and fuss some rescue elephants. They were the only 2 people who opted to wash the elephants. Everyone else just went to the pool with some bragging about an elephant ride they had booked
I am guilty of riding an elephant, many years ago, however, I did not know it was wrong, soon after I did understand, words can not explain how guilty I felt, I was so disgusted with myself, and now as I watch animal documentaries, and other wild animal programs, it is painful to see other animals, abused, or killed and the pet trade,I feel sick, more needs to be done about the pet trade. !!!
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