Welfare assessment and activities of captive elephants in Thailand

© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Thailand is the epicenter of elephant tourism and visiting an elephant camp is a popular activity according to the Tourist Authority of Thailand. However, the welfare of these elephants has been questioned by animal activist groups, internati...

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Main Authors: Pakkanut Bansiddhi, Janine L. Brown, Chatchote Thitaram
Format: Journal
Published: 2020
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http://cmuir.cmu.ac.th/jspui/handle/6653943832/70037
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Institution: Chiang Mai University
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spelling th-cmuir.6653943832-700372020-10-14T08:23:15Z Welfare assessment and activities of captive elephants in Thailand Pakkanut Bansiddhi Janine L. Brown Chatchote Thitaram Agricultural and Biological Sciences © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Thailand is the epicenter of elephant tourism and visiting an elephant camp is a popular activity according to the Tourist Authority of Thailand. However, the welfare of these elephants has been questioned by animal activist groups, international tour operators, and the public. Conclusions that the vast majority of captive elephants are abused often are based on anecdotal evidence and not solid science. So, it is difficult to tease apart emotion, opinion, and fact with regard to what practices are good or bad for elephant welfare. The aim of this paper was to: 1) describe the unique status of captive elephants in Thailand and associated regulations, 2) summarize current issues and challenges facing elephant tourism, 3) review studies conducted on welfare of tourist elephants in Thailand, and 4) offer recommendations for how elephants can be properly cared for under captive conditions in tourist camps. We conclude there are many ways to manage these elephants, and that not all tourist activities are bad for welfare. However, it is essential they be managed in a way that meets physical, physiological and psychological needs, and that management decisions are based on objective data. 2020-10-14T08:23:15Z 2020-10-14T08:23:15Z 2020-06-01 Journal 20762615 2-s2.0-85085617104 10.3390/ani10060919 https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=85085617104&origin=inward http://cmuir.cmu.ac.th/jspui/handle/6653943832/70037
institution Chiang Mai University
building Chiang Mai University Library
continent Asia
country Thailand
Thailand
content_provider Chiang Mai University Library
collection CMU Intellectual Repository
topic Agricultural and Biological Sciences
spellingShingle Agricultural and Biological Sciences
Pakkanut Bansiddhi
Janine L. Brown
Chatchote Thitaram
Welfare assessment and activities of captive elephants in Thailand
description © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Thailand is the epicenter of elephant tourism and visiting an elephant camp is a popular activity according to the Tourist Authority of Thailand. However, the welfare of these elephants has been questioned by animal activist groups, international tour operators, and the public. Conclusions that the vast majority of captive elephants are abused often are based on anecdotal evidence and not solid science. So, it is difficult to tease apart emotion, opinion, and fact with regard to what practices are good or bad for elephant welfare. The aim of this paper was to: 1) describe the unique status of captive elephants in Thailand and associated regulations, 2) summarize current issues and challenges facing elephant tourism, 3) review studies conducted on welfare of tourist elephants in Thailand, and 4) offer recommendations for how elephants can be properly cared for under captive conditions in tourist camps. We conclude there are many ways to manage these elephants, and that not all tourist activities are bad for welfare. However, it is essential they be managed in a way that meets physical, physiological and psychological needs, and that management decisions are based on objective data.
format Journal
author Pakkanut Bansiddhi
Janine L. Brown
Chatchote Thitaram
author_facet Pakkanut Bansiddhi
Janine L. Brown
Chatchote Thitaram
author_sort Pakkanut Bansiddhi
title Welfare assessment and activities of captive elephants in Thailand
title_short Welfare assessment and activities of captive elephants in Thailand
title_full Welfare assessment and activities of captive elephants in Thailand
title_fullStr Welfare assessment and activities of captive elephants in Thailand
title_full_unstemmed Welfare assessment and activities of captive elephants in Thailand
title_sort welfare assessment and activities of captive elephants in thailand
publishDate 2020
url https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=85085617104&origin=inward
http://cmuir.cmu.ac.th/jspui/handle/6653943832/70037
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