Big news out of Vietnam as the country has taken a monumental step towards elephant-friendly tourism. An official agreement was recently signed between the Vietnamese government and the animal-rights group AnimalsAsia. Vietnam’s Yok Don National Park will no longer provide elephant rides to tourists thanks to the groundbreaking new agreement, which enables a radical new cruelty-free approach to elephant tourism.
The elephants at the park will now be allowed to roam the forest, unrestrained and free of chains, while tourists will observe the majestic animals in their natural habitat.
AnimalsAsia’s Director of Animal Welfare Dave Neale said: “Instead of constraining the elephants with chains so they can be ridden by visitors, tourists will instead follow, watch and learn about how these amazing animals really live and behave in their forest home. If successful, this model of cruelty-free elephant tourism could become a template for others in the country – and even the region – to follow. It’s a model where the elephants, the mahouts and the tourists all win.”
Image: AnimalsAsia
This is fantastic news as elephants used in the tourism industry usually have to endure tragic abuse and horrific living conditions. In order to make them docile enough to be ridden elephants are forced to undergo a process known as “the crush”, during which they are confined and beaten with bullhooks. When not giving rides to tourists the animals are often chained, unable to express natural behaviors, and kept in depressing isolation. The elephant tourism industry is very brutal, and many of the animals die out of exhaustion due to overwork.
Dak Lak province, home to Yok Don National Park, is famed for its elephant tourism and believed to contain around 40 captive elephants. Representatives from Yok Don National Park told AnimalsAsia they hoped the new tourism model would change the perspective of tourists towards elephant rides, while also enabling rangers to complete their duty of protecting the forest and all its inhabitants. It is hoped that the new model of elephant tourism will still be profitable, and become an example for other animal tourism facilities to follow.
Image: AnimalsAsia
Vietnam’s wild population of Asian elephants is thought to have fallen below 100, a figure conservationists say is not viable to ensure their survival. In recent years, the country has taken emergency steps to conserve the remaining wild population by setting up the Elephant Conservation Center, where AnimalsAsia provides animal management and welfare advice. The center is intended as a sanctuary for rescued elephants and a breeding facility where a stable population of elephants can be maintained for possible reintroduction to the wild. In order for the breeding program to be successful and the elephants to be returned to the wild, animal welfare standards have to be at their highest.
Vietnam is now also realizing that in order for the tourism industry to be sustainable it must end the current elephant riding practices. Now it is time for the rest of Asia to provide an elephant-friendly alternative and make a significant improvement in the welfare of the captive animals.
Bravo, Vietnam!
Great news! Thank you, Vietnam!
Great news! Thank you, Vietnam!
Thank goodness they came to their senses but in reality people would prefer to see the animals in their natural world.
What a blessing for that than you for sharing that story’
Don’t trust those Asian people.
They have millions years violant historia towards Animals.
Asia doesn’t change easy and soon.
EVERY country has millions of years of violence towards animals and/or people. And it NEVER changed quickly but slowly is better than not.
Eva Tervala, Is your country vegan or your ancestors were since ancient times. If you look at the other countries, especially the US, then you will be shocked to see the kind of animal experimentations performed by labs and universities funded by hard earned taxpayer’s money, which is unknown to the public, and crimes twisted individuals do. Compared to that elephant rides are nothing.
These elephants and all other wild animals belongs FREE with their family in the wild.
Finally ! Thank you !
That is great news. I’m happy some place is finally getting enough compassion for the innocent elephants. Now all countries better follow suit.
That is wonderful. I would definitely go to one of these places where Elephants are treated well….no rides and no chains.
Thank you from all the elephants and the people who truly want to see them them in the wild.
I for one , would much rather see a living,elephant than a prisoner, beaten , chained and overworked . Seeing elephants in a more natural habitat and way of life is so rewarding. Tourism should show this.
Now, if only the tortured dog/cat meat issue were to be resolved in the same successful way……Tourists are still in danger while the Vietnamese substitute tortured animal meat for beef, chicken or veal. All involve barbarism in slaughter.
Congratulations Vietnam, for being open to the sentiments of animal advocates and tourists.
Wonderful news.
I, for one, would rather pay a higher fee to see these magnificent animals roaming free in their own habitat, then line the pockets of cruel, money-grabbing profiteers who abuse these animals.
yayyyyyyy. its about time
Bless them. Let’s hope everyone else follows.
If they really live up to this and stop the rides and let the elephants roam free then this is fantastic news!! So happy to hear that people are finally starting to recognize that kindness and decent treatment of these very special animals is the best thing for everyone.
Great.They are being given their freedom and to live their life with dignity.
Reading this you have made my day wish the rest of Asia would follow suite
What a good morning news!!!! That is an example for the rest of the world!!!!
Terrific News! Tourism as It Should Be! Thanks Vietnam!!!
Bravo Vietnam! Hoping this is a straightforward trend for all other countries to follow!
Cannot say enough in praise of Vietnam. I hope this is permanent and other countries who give elephant rides will change.
GOOD NEWS FOR THE ELEPHANTS AT LAST….I HOPE THAT OTHER PLACES & COUNTRIES WILL FOLLOW THIS EXAMPLE
Praise freely offered to the humans compassionate and intelligent enough to realize these actions are necessary and just in every way.
This is fantastic!!!! I’m so happy for the elephants! I love elephants and honestly the human race could learn things to improve themselves by watching elephants.
Well done this is good that this happened please target other areas tell them that your country is doing ths to get others to fillow , I thought the bear bile has stopped, just got to keep signing petitions to prove to the bad people that animal welfare people are not goinf to put up with it we will keep fighting for animals
One step in the right direction. Now they should abolish the notorious bear bile farms and the dog meat trade. Hopefully, I would like to see them convince other countries in the region to follow suit.
Why can’t they be left alone? They are wild animals.
THANK YOU –each step is helping protect those that need us to protect them from mostly HUMANS — AnimalAsia hurrah
This is definitely a step in the right direction. Let’s be clear: elephants are wild animals and they do not belong in captivity. In Asia everyone thinks it’s normal to ride elephants because they are “domesticated”, but to domesticate them they have to be tortured and abused. That’s why these animal-welfare groups are trying to break the chains of abuse. Thank you.
Well done!
Yes, thank you AnimalsAsia for putting the pressure on these governments to finally protect the animals. And I do hope that the rest of the countries also work with animal-rights groups to improve the welfare in the tourism industry. Thailand especially is a living hell for the captive animals, including the elephants.
So good to hear,Elephants were not born to give people rides it’s just crazy to do this to them.Such beautiful, majestic animals they need be roaming free. What right do people have to change the way they live and thrive? In my opinion they have no right at all, I really don’t understand why it has even come to this point where those of us that respect animals have to beg all these people to stop this craziness.
THANKYOU
This is indeed a great advance and I hope other countries follow Vietnam’s example.
Wow..now this would be fantastic news if it really takes steps to ensure the protection of these majestic animals…waking up Thailand.. wake up Asia…wake up Africa! This would benefit elephants and the tourism industry!
GREAT NEWS! Now take the next more important step, get out of the ivory market and tighten up your customs at ports of entry!!!
Yes!!!!!
I am very thankful that elephants are the ones thought of first. You are doing a great job. Thank You.
Thank you AnimalsAsia for working so closely with the Vietnamese government on this issue! I hope that the rest of the Asian countries will follow, there is so much abuse and cruelty in the animal tourism industry.
Excellent news — let’s ensure their word is kept — tourists can observe elephants from a distance — elephants can begin to live happier and healthier lives — they can finally live normal lives as their nature dictates. — a very wise, rational, compassionate decision.
What’s so cruel about letting people ride on an elephant’s back?
What’s cruel about letting people ride on an elephant?
Some reading is required here to get the details of what the elephants’ days are like BUT — I believe it’s NOT the RIDE itself — it’s the whole process — it’s the change in lifestyle for the elephants — it’s the PREPARING for tourists’ rides — it starts early in the am, ends late in the pm, leaving the elephants 2 hrs to rest (maybe standing on all fours chained to a pole) to regain their energy for the following day — they do NOT have a normal ELEPHANT life — they do nothing that elephants normally do — they’re probably uncomfortable most of the time — there’s probably some degree of suffering — if they’re NOT respected as living beings, they NEVER get a break — like all stuffed animals …. they’re used and tossed aside when not in use — it must be HELL for the elephants — social, intelligent animals — thank God some very good people made enough noise in support of these magnificent animals so they can finally live properly and BREATHE …
“Ms” is exactly right. The tourism industry is an absolute nightmare for animals, especially the elephants. These animals have to be TORTURED to make them docile enough to be ridden by humans, they live and die in chains.
I agree with you, RIDING ELEPHANT is not cruelty( , we RIDE HORSES too) both of them are domesticated ,but if they are not treated with affection, respect, these 2 are suffering. I sugest that should be a law that every ownwer should respect: hours work( not exhausted), sleep obligation, good food quality, providing health care, and 2 days off( like humans).If the owner brakes this law, the animal will be taken from the owner and put in sanctuary!!For some people, the animal is the only income he gets for living…The same law must be applied for every working animal: horse, donkey, buffalo, cow…etc…and 1 MONTH HOLLIDAY /YEAR like humans have.If the owner has only 1 animal bcz he is too poor and he cannot afford having a 2nd one and if he does not work, he cannot sustain himself and his family, then the goverment would give him compensation…
This is ridiculous.You are comparing animal work to human work.If any human would be treated like these animals than this would be a violation of huma rights! Beaten , abused, open wounds, worked to the bone.How many of these issues do you face at your work? Humans need to get over their anthropocentric views and except that animals have the right to live their lives undisturbed, without trying to be controlled, sold or killed by humans.
You sir are an idiot
What did you just have the nerve to say? If you don’t know do some research and see what they do so they can ride on their back. And Yvonne said it perfectly You Sir Are A IDIOT