Animal rights activists, on Tuesday, lashed out at elephant sanctuaries in Thailand after a Spanish holidaymaker was killed while bathing one of the creatures.
The incident is “a stark reminder of the inherent cruelty and danger associated with keeping wild animals in captivity.’’
The rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said after the death on Friday of a 22-year-old student on Koh Yao Yai, an island in the south of the country.
“Elephants are highly intelligent, sensitive beings who suffer immensely in unnatural environments where they are forced to interact with humans, often resulting in unpredictable and dangerous behaviours,’’ the organisation posted on X.
The elephant reportedly hit the tourist with its trunk during a bathing session, one of the highlights of visiting such centres.
It said several thousand domesticated elephants live together with their guides in Thailand.
In recent years, the exploitation of animals for tourist riding tours has decreased considerably.
However, numerous elephant camps, which were often advertised as sanctuaries for rescued animals, offered supposedly animal-friendly encounters with Thailand’s national animals.
The centres are a major source of tourism income, with up-close contact with the pachyderms topping the wish list for many travellers to Thailand.
Half-day tours usually cost the equivalent of at least $62.
In return, visitors might feed the animals, walk through the camp with them and often take a mud bath together in rivers or ponds.
However, there are big differences between operators: while some centres paid attention to animal welfare, others were mainly concerned with profit.
Activists urged the public to avoid all facilities where direct contact with elephants is possible and instead, attend the observation-only tours offered by genuine sanctuaries.
