As a journey *influencer* I really feel a level of social accountability with regards to matters about moral and eco-friendly tourism. I solely need to promote actions and organisations which are moral, so the subject of elephants in Chiang Mai may be very near my coronary heart.
Elephants are a deep-rooted a part of the Thai tradition and so they have a particular religious significance to Buddhism, in addition to Hinduism. They’ve performed an enormous half within the nation’s handbook labour for hundreds of years, so that they’ve at all times been seen as working animals in Thailand. Nevertheless it wasn’t till the vacationers started to reach that they all of a sudden grew to become an attraction. Getting to go to elephants in Chiang Mai is now one of many metropolis’s largest attracts however this has left the elephants susceptible to mistreatment, all for the sake of revenue margins. For those who hope to come across these mild giants while in Thailand, the excellent news is that you simply nonetheless can. Nevertheless it’s necessary that you simply do your analysis to search out an moral and cruelty-free organisation to go to them with. I hope you all agree with me that…
Elephants shouldn’t be ridden or made to carry out in any means
Identical to dancing bears and animals on the circus, I feel elephant rides ought to now be thought to be out-dated and merciless. However sadly, there are nonetheless some locations in Thailand that supply them. For those who’re weighing up your choices about the place to go to elephants in Chiang Mai, let this be the primary warning signal.
Fortuitously, there are some great locations in Chiang Mai (and wider Thailand) that make it doable to go to elephants in a non-invasive means. I used to be fortunate sufficient to go to one among them throughout my current journey to Thailand. The Thai Elephant Care Centre is situated in Mae Rim, about 45 minutes outdoors of Chiang Mai. It’s a sanctuary for aged elephants to chill out and revel in life with out having to work, both by carrying vacationers or in handbook labour. Sadly, a lifetime of captivity implies that they’re now not capable of take care of themselves within the wild. However the Thai Elephant Care Centre does all the things it will probably to make sure the elephants have the absolute best high quality of life of their later years.
There are 12 resident elephants on the centre in whole, who’re cared for by a formidable crew of 27 workers, together with the mahoots (elephant house owners) who’ve with the elephants for a lot of their lives. The sanctuary supplies work for the mahoots in order that they will nonetheless earn a residing and be with their elephants although the elephants are aged. There’s additionally a veterinary crew who’re at all times available to supply one of the best well being care to the elephants.
The Thai Elephant Care centre welcomes a small variety of guests every day, who’re taught how the elephants are cared for and what the work pressure do each day. We did the complete day programme on the Thai Elephant Care Centre which included feeding the elephants, getting ready grinded grass elephant feed and making natural drugs to assist good digestion. These are all issues that the crew on the care centre need to do each day so it felt nice to assist out in caring for these lovely creatures.
The day ended by watching two of the elephants take a mudbath and serving to them to wash within the river. The elephants don’t get to do that day by day so for them it’s an actual deal with and it was so heart-warming to see how a lot they have been having fun with themselves. No matter therapy their captivity might have introduced of their earlier life, these elephants are actually cared for and at peace.
The entire expertise was each humbling and enriching and seeing the good work that the Thai Elephant Care Centre does actually restored my religion in Thailand’s elephant tourism. If all organisations have been like this then the longer term for elephants in Thailand can be completely satisfied, stress-free and sustainable.
Please you should definitely do your analysis earlier than selecting the place to go to Elephants in Chiang Mai. The Thai Elephant Care Centre is a superb possibility in case you’re visiting Chiang Mai, however there are additionally different respected organisations.
What’s your expertise of visiting or interacting with Elephants in Chiang Mai? I’d love you to assist me unfold the phrase about moral elephant tourism in Thailand. For those who’ve loved this put up or have any ideas, please depart a remark within the field beneath x
My journey to Thailand was a part of a press journey with Qatar Airways and Birmingham Airport to have fun the brand new flight path from Birmingham Airport to Chiang Mai Airport. All photos, opinions and phrases are my very own.