In exciting news for animal lovers, a national park in Vietnam has done away with traditional, exploitative elephant experiences and introduced ethical elephant tours.
Visitors to Yok Don National Park can now observe from a distance the four elephants relaxing and exploring the sanctuary grounds in their natural social groupings. This is the first park in the country to change to an elephant-friendly tourism model.
This move towards humane ecotourism is thanks in part to the work of Animals Asia, who have worked with the national park to transition away from riding and human interaction. Previously, the elephants here were restrained by chains and often spent entire days carrying tourists around on their backs. This meant limited time for essential natural behaviors like bathing, socializing and foraging.
“In the wild, elephants spend up to 18 hours a day foraging and this is exactly how Yok Don’s elephants now spend the majority of their time,” said Dionne Slagter from Animals Asia. “They all look so much healthier and are increasingly confident in how far they roam.”
The move towards more compassionate management practices has been supported by UK based charity Olsen Animal Trust, who have supplied funds to make sure the transition is financially viable for the legal owners of the elephants.
According to PETA, more than 3000 elephants are held in parks and centers throughout Asia and used as entertainment for tourists. The practice of forcing these gentle giants into submission when they are still young is nothing short of horrific; taken from their mothers, they are tied up and beaten to teach them to obey their “trainers.”
Elephants used for riding are often chained up when not being walked on the same paths day after day; they are denied the opportunity to perform natural behaviors such as roaming, foraging, bathing and socializing as a herd. Along with this, they suffer from foot problems and back injuries due to the constant weight of tourists on their backs.
Now that tourists have a choice to witness the incredible Asian elephants living naturally and roaming free at Yok Don National Park, we hope other facilities in Vietnam will follow suit and move away from cruel activities like riding.
Wow!!! An ethical elephant park! Amazing and well done!
Wonderful news !!! If only all countries where éléphants live could do that ! Thank you Animals Asia !
A positive step forward.
EXCELLENT NEWS — I hope this is done for MORE animals — look how happy they are living NORMAL lives — I pray more people visit and partake in these wonderful tours — this is HOW IT MUST BE — you observe their day-to-day lives from a distance — they deserve this respect — it is their RIGHT —– THANK YOU TO THE OFFICIALS who made this wonderful, rational, compassionate, wise decision — it’s a win-win-win-win.
Thank you to Rob Zombie to step up !!!!! You are a kind and good man to do something to address this greedy, barbaric, INEXCUSABLE NEW MONEY MAKING TORTUROUS METHOD.
RESPECT RESPECT FOR ALL GOD’S CREATURES OR PAY THE PRICE. TSUNAMIS tornados will wipe all abusers from the face of the earth.
This is a beginning to better treatment for all animals. When they realise there is more to be gains by ethical treatment of animals things will change for the better and hopefully other countries will follow suit.
IS THERE EVER ETHICAL ELEPHANT RIDES????? I DON’T THINK SO. ANIMALS WERE NOT PUT ON EARTH TO BE SO CRUELLY ABUSED BY GREEDY HUMANS.
GOOD TO HEAR BUT THEY MUST STOP THE BEAR BILE CRUELTY AND THE BEAR SLAVERY AND ALL THE OTHER ANIMALS THEY ABUSE !!
Beautiful!
Espérons qu’un jour tous les animaux sauvages disposent de leur habitat naturel
This is good news. Elephants should not be exploited for tourists. Letting them be seen in a natural environment is wonderful.
All wild animals should be allowed to live in there natural habitat. Better than being exploited by humans for human entertainment.
Elephants are still not following the path their ancestors where they traveled, that is a practice they have over generation to generation…there is no denying the only real way is to let them live their lives in the world not confined to boundaries of a sanctuary. Still greatful they have an “area” safe to live.
Elephants are still not following the path their ancestors where they traveled, that is a practice they have over generation to generation…there is no denying the only real way is to let them live their lives in the world not confined to boundaries of a sanctuary. Still greatful they have an “area” safe to live.
Hallelujah! A wonderful step in the right direction! NOW, the U.S. and all other countries should follow suit! Thank YOU Yok Don National Park & Animals Asia!
AWESOMENESS!!! THANK YOU YOK DON NATIONAL PARK FOR REALIZING THAT THESE BEAUTIFUL CREATIONS BY GOD ARE TRULY MAGNIFICENT. GOD BLESS YOU ALL AS YOU WATCH YOUR NATIONAL PARK FLOURISH.
They are still being held against their will. Animals should be free.
Bravo Vietnam. Let’s hope other countries follow suit.
Well done Vietnam !!
BRAVO!
Knowing this, Vietnam is FIRST on my vacation wish list, and Spain is dead LAST.
Get your act together, Spain! Respect and Love to all the kind, animal loving Spaniards. Please continue to fight bull fighting, bull running, and other such Horrendous spectacles and activities.
The United States has its own improvements to make as well, where animal treatment is concerned, make no mistake.
At least Vietnam are doing something to improve things.
Way to go, Vietnam! The world is extremely proud of you! We need more and more if this kind treatment of animals in the world. Hopefully other countries will follow suit.