Wildlife tourism is on the rising some the world. When it comes to some beast encounters however, similar elephant rides, there’s a darker story, ane that many tourists never see. In this article, our author Danielle reports from Bharat on the existent toll of elephant tourism, in addition to the organisations striving to halt the captive elephant industry.
Maya paused inwards her tedious meander through the patch of green, leafy plants. Framed yesteryear trees, in addition to bathed inwards the golden low-cal of the belatedly afternoon sun, she closed her eyes for a 2nd in addition to stood perfectly still. I wondered what was going through her mind.
As a life-long entertainer inwards the circus, Maya’s days in addition to nights had been filled alongside fright in addition to pain. She was abused, neglected in addition to isolated. She never had plenty nutrient or water. Day after day, she was forced to perform tricks for a paying world that position her weakened body nether enormous stress. At night, she was tightly chained yesteryear the legs hence she couldn’t escape.
In 2010, after nearly iv long decades of forced work, exhausted in addition to withdrawn, Maya’s world was turned on its head. She was rescued from her captivity, in addition to taken to a sanctuary where she could alive out her days complimentary of chains in addition to suffering.
Maya is an Asian elephant, in addition to patch her journeying has a happy ending, her tale is exactly ane of many inwards the long in addition to complicated storey of India’s captive elephants.
It’s this storey that brought me, on behalf of NOMADasaurus in addition to inwards the companionship of the TreadRight Foundation, to the metropolis of Mathura inwards northern India.
Putting Wildlife Tourism inwards the Picture
Wildlife tourism is on the rising the world over, equally to a greater extent than of us seek out opportunities for special, close-up encounters alongside our favourite creatures.
For many local communities, in addition to for the animals that attract tourists, this is skillful news. Well-managed wild fauna tourism tin convey important benefits yesteryear way of the tourism dollar, patch also driving awareness and, inwards some cases, greater protections for environments in addition to animals.
But at that spot is a darker side to some beast encounters; situations where what you lot consider is alone a handful of pixels inwards the bigger picture.
As travellers, the decisions nosotros brand in addition to the actions nosotros accept when it comes to animals on our travels, tin brand all the difference. And awareness is our greatest tool.
Vivid Bharat – The Journey to an Elephant Sanctuary Near Agra
My journeying to see an elephant sanctuary inwards a paddock 50 kilometres N of Agra, started a dyad of days before inwards Delhi.
A metropolis of 25 1000000 people, Delhi is a microcosm of civilization in addition to history, wrapped upwards inwards a sensory whirlwind of colour, dissonance in addition to sheer humanity.
Culture stupor doesn’t quite capture the feeling of arriving inwards this kaleidoscopic metropolis. All you lot tin actually do is agree on in addition to become along for the ride.
As my 2nd see to Delhi, I had the do goodness of knowing what to facial expression equally my taxi cleared the airdrome gates.
Still, the cacophony of automobile horns in addition to shouting rickshaw drivers, the laneless havoc of the traffic, the calls of the streetside stall-holders selling lime juice in addition to snacks, was abrupt in addition to intense.
I couldn’t assist but smile. This inwards India, in addition to it actually is similar nowhere else.
Exploring the Golden Triangle inwards India
As good equally existence India’s most populous city, Delhi is the northernmost dot of a well-known tourist trail called the Golden Triangle.
The other points on the circuit are the ancient cities of Jaipur in addition to Agra, in addition to my trip would accept me via some of the historical highlights of all three, en route to the metropolis of Mathura.
The long history inwards this corner of northern Bharat weaves together a vibrant tapestry of cultures, religions, dynasties in addition to empires going dorsum a thou years in addition to more.
A Golden Triangle tour offers visitors a gustation of this rich yesteryear equally it passes from metropolis to village, in addition to from urban sprawl through desert across the states of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, in addition to the National Capital Territory of Delhi.
It’s an Indian Thali of awe-inspiring forts in addition to opulent palaces, ornate houses of worship, impressive monuments, exquisitely designed tombs, in addition to ever-changing landscapes.
It also takes inwards some of India’s most famous sights, including the world-renowned Taj Mahal of Agra.
But non far from the Taj is some other highlight of the Golden Triangle, less well-known perhaps, but fifty-fifty to a greater extent than inspiring: the Wildlife SOS Elephant Conservation in addition to Care Centre, our ultimate destination.
The Story of India’s Elephants
Asian elephants receive got roamed the forested landscapes of the Asian continent since fourth dimension immemorial. Today though, their habitat has diminished to all but a few pockets of the sub-continent in addition to south-east Asia.
Threats such equally poaching, the illegal wild fauna trade, habitat loss, conflict alongside people, in addition to captive elephant industries receive got all contributed – in addition to hold to contribute – to the listing of the Asian elephant equally an endangered species.
Unlike their cousins inwards Africa, Asian elephant populations are on the decline.
There are estimated to live anywhere betwixt 30,000 in addition to 50,000 Asian elephants left inwards the world. The bulk alive inwards India, in addition to of these, some 3,500 elephants are inwards captivity, forced to piece of work their entire lives for the net income in addition to amusement of people.
They haul logs inwards wood clearing operations, they perform inwards circuses, they are used to beg for coin in addition to nutrient on the streets.
As an earthly example of the elephant-headed Hindu god, Ganesha, elephants are chained inwards temples to give blessings. They are hired out for festivals, weddings in addition to celebrations.
They are also used prominently inwards the tourism trade, in addition to it was at the Amber Fort inwards Jaipur, a highlight of the Golden Triangle, that nosotros were introduced to this chapter inwards the storey of India’s captive elephant trade.
It’s a chapter of item relevance to us equally travellers: the manufacture for tourist elephant rides.
Challenging History in addition to Tradition
Asian elephants receive got been domesticated for thousands of years. They characteristic throughout India’s long history, in addition to receive got smashing significance inwards surely traditions in addition to religious practices. Some would ask, why change?
Because times receive got changed.
For ane thing, capturing elephants for commercial net income is against the police inwards India. However an amnesty dorsum inwards 2003 allowed for elephants already inwards captivity to live kept, provided they were registered.
The job is, captive elephants are soundless profitable, in addition to hence their capture in addition to merchandise has merely carried on alongside the job of forged or questionable certificates. Many captive elephants inwards Bharat today are kept illegally.
Conservation is a major issue. Elephants, who make far in addition to broad inwards the wild, are critical to the wellness of wood habitats. Like their wood homes though, Asian elephant numbers are dwindling, in addition to at that spot are fears that they volition live gone from the wild inside a affair of generations.
“People tend to forget the fact that every captive elephant is an elephant that was taken from the wild, who could potentially receive got had a family…taking out fifty-fifty ane elephant variety of derails the conservation bespeak for Asian elephants altogether.” Gargi Sharma, Assistant Elephant Campaign Officer, Wildlife SOS
Then at that spot is the tragic reality of the rattling existent suffering, abuse in addition to fail of elephants inwards captivity, in addition to the vicious facts behind the ‘training’ used to respite them inwards for work.
This cruel process, which oft takes places patch elephants are soundless rattling young, involves beatings, torture in addition to starvation. It’s called ‘the crush’, because its purpose is to compaction the elephant’s spirit completely, to forcefulness it into submission through fright in addition to pain.
It’s a devastating in addition to inhumane practice, in addition to it sets a terrible musical note for the life that these elephants volition Pb inwards captivity.
“How they are coming into this [human] world, how they are existence tortured in addition to trained, that is all hidden [from] the local world in addition to the tourist. That is our showtime objective, to tell the people what is happening.” Shivam Rai, Education & Conservation Officer, Wildlife SOS
The Captive Elephants of Amber Fort
I learned from Gargi Sharma, a squad fellow member at Wildlife SOS, that at that spot are 2 major captive elephant hubs inwards India.
One is inwards Kerala, where temple elephants are large business. The other is Amber Fort inwards Jaipur, the most famous position for tourists to become on an elephant ride inwards India.
Amber Fort, also known equally Amer Fort, perches atop a high loma overlooking a dramatic landscape close Jaipur. Above in addition to beyond the palace, the ramparts of Jaigarh Fort rising in addition to autumn over the surrounding hills.
The climb to Amber Fort is along a steep, cobbled path in addition to it’s this rising that elephants slog fourth dimension in addition to again, 24-hour interval after day, equally they haul hundreds of kilos of spot frame, keeper in addition to tourists upwards to the palace on their backs.
The elephants of Amber Fort, their faces in addition to trunks painted inwards swirling pastels, their huge bodies draped inwards brilliant satin, cast an immediate spell on visitors to the fort.
Some mightiness say there’s an old-world charm close existence carried yesteryear a creature equally royal equally the elephant to a palace built for kings.
But investigations yesteryear the Animal Welfare Board of Bharat receive got shown that the elephants endure profoundly inwards providing tourists alongside these rides. They are overworked, many are malnourished, some are blind. Many receive got untreated wounds from beatings in addition to bullhooks.
All of them endure painful human foot problems, a resultant of pounding the pavements nether a heavy charge 24-hour interval after day, alongside no relief or medical care.
My Journey to Elephant Tourism Awareness
Standing inwards the elephant ‘lobby’ at Amber Fort, I watched equally elephants lined upwards for tourist boarding, swaying their heads nether the heels of their handlers. Each keeper held a wooden stick inwards their lap, the alone sign of the harsh methods used to ‘handle’ the elephants; invisible to anyone non looking for them.
I was overcome equally I watched the elephants yesteryear a retentivity of my own, an experience that left a lasting impact. In 2011, I had stood inwards this rattling same place. Right here, at Amber Fort. And that time, I rode an elephant.
I soundless retrieve the experience vividly, lurching in addition to rolling upwards the hill. The handler constantly nudged the caput of the elephant alongside his human foot to hold her moving at a steady pace, all the patch trying to acquire us to accept photos of him for a tip.
My partner in addition to I didn’t know in addition to hence what goes on behind the scenes for these elephants. We hadn’t done our research. But equally nosotros held on, watching the circus-like procession air current its way upwards the hill, what nosotros did know is that it didn’t experience right.
That feeling never left us. Our side yesteryear side halt after Bharat was Thailand and, inwards an endeavor to empathise to a greater extent than close the captive elephant industry, nosotros visited an elephant sanctuary inwards Chiang Mai.
Alongside our experience inwards Jaipur, the elephant sanctuary was a wake-up call, in addition to together the 2 moments changed our feelings close elephant tourism for good.
The Fight Against Elephants inwards Captivity
I wasn’t aware on that showtime see to Jaipur that at that spot was an scheme inwards Bharat already making important headway inwards the deal for the health, wellbeing in addition to liberty of captive Asian elephants.
That scheme was Wildlife SOS, in addition to the chance to see their elephant sanctuary inwards Bharat on this trip – inwards the companionship of TreadRight, a foundation supporting their efforts – was an chance I jumped at.
Wildlife SOS was founded inwards 1995 equally a not-for-profit dedicated to protecting in addition to conserving nature in addition to wild fauna across India.
The scheme runs a make of programs, from rescue in addition to rehabilitation, in addition to wild fauna education, to human/wildlife conflict mitigation, in addition to police enforcement training.
They also piece of work alongside local in addition to tribal communities to position in addition to back upwards novel opportunities in addition to livelihoods that movement people away from wild fauna exploitation.
Wildlife SOS was instrumental inwards eradicating the centuries-old exercise of ‘dancing bears’ inwards India. Today, they are working for alter and, hopefully ane day, an halt to the captive elephant industry.
The challenge is a long in addition to complicated one, in addition to at that spot are rattling existent obstacles to the people involved inwards elephant rescue in addition to care. Rescues tin live risky, in addition to courtroom cases to take sick in addition to injured elephants from captivity tin final a long time, at important cost.
Wildlife SOS works extensively alongside the Indian government, forestry departments in addition to police enforcement inwards their endeavour to both ameliorate weather in addition to attention for elephants inwards captivity, in addition to to rescue elephants inwards distress.
They also strive to educate in addition to heighten awareness amid local in addition to international communities for the long game: no elephants inwards captivity.
A Partnership for Responsible Tourism
TreadRight, a not-for-profit established yesteryear go in addition to leisure group, The Travel Corporation, has supported Wildlife SOS inwards expanding their powerfulness to drive alter to a greater extent than effectively yesteryear funding a legal in addition to police enforcement preparation centre at the Wildlife SOS elephant sanctuary inwards Mathura.
I visited Wildlife SOS alongside TreadRight Ambassador, Céline Cousteau, who explained that ethical interactions betwixt tourists in addition to wild animals is a key focus for TreadRight in addition to its partner tour companies.
For TreadRight, supporting initiatives inwards collaboration alongside local organisations is cardinal to ensuring that the places, people in addition to wild fauna visited yesteryear its companies in addition to tourists are impacted positively yesteryear those visits, right away in addition to into the future. Working alongside Wildlife SOS is an of import partnership both for supporting sustainable wild fauna tourism on the footing inwards India, in addition to for helping travellers to brand informed choices close the wild fauna experiences they have.
“I think the tourism manufacture has tremendous potential to do good. Right now, our footprint is quite big, but I think to a greater extent than in addition to to a greater extent than the traveller is becoming savvy, in addition to corporations are becoming much to a greater extent than sustainable inwards the way that they function. And nosotros demand to hold encouraging that.” Céline Cousteau, TreadRight Ambassador
TreadRight has supported to a greater extent than than 50 sustainable projects some the world. Initiatives vary yesteryear position in addition to need, in addition to TreadRight works side yesteryear side alongside communities to position where in addition to how their back upwards tin assist the most.
“We accept a facial expression at the destination, nosotros abide by out how tin nosotros brand go affair inside this destination, what tin best live served yesteryear what nosotros do.” Zach Vanasse, Program Manager, TreadRight Foundation.
Projects make from a women’s cooperative supporting fiscal independence inwards Jordan, to delivering construct clean H2O to children inwards Cambodia, to helping Wildlife SOS attain its conservation goals inwards Bharat through the provision of much-needed facilities.
In add-on to the preparation centre, Wildlife SOS in addition to TreadRight receive got also worked together to create a guide for travellers on what to facial expression for when seeking elephant friendly experiences.
Visiting Wildlife SOS inwards Mathura
The Wildlife SOS Elephant Conservation in addition to Care Centre inwards Mathura is ane of those places where you lot tin interact alongside elephants inwards a friendly, ethical in addition to meaningful way.
Visiting the elephant sanctuary was the high dot of our trip; nosotros were at that spot to larn close the piece of work of Wildlife SOS, in addition to to run into the rescued elephants inwards their care.
Twenty Asian elephants alive at the elephant rescue common inwards Mathura, each a refugee from a branch of the captive elephant industry.
“Suzy was a circus elephant. Asha, she’s representing the Amer Fort…and we’ve had several elephants who were used inwards ceremonies in addition to they were begging on the road. So every elephant [here]…represents a argue why this exercise has to end.” Gargi Sharma, Assistant Elephant Campaign Officer, Wildlife SOS
The elephants at the centre all send some legacy of their previous lives. Some signs are visible, similar bullhook-torn ears, body wounds from beatings, broken toenails in addition to damaged footpads from article of apparel in addition to neglect.
Some symptoms dot a far deeper issue. The youngest elephant to live rescued yesteryear Wildlife SOS, Peanut, waved in addition to bobbed her caput constantly equally she waited for lunch.
It’s a habit, ane of the keepers told me, borne of the stress she experienced during her fourth dimension equally a circus elephant. Captured equally a babe in addition to exactly half-dozen years old when she was rescued, the circus was the alone life Peanut had ever known.
Elephants are known to receive got long memories, in addition to Peanut may send her tic for the residue of her life. Today though, she is a happy, salubrious immature elephant alongside a menage unit of measurement herd, boundless release energy in addition to a penchant for mischief.
For the staff at Wildlife SOS, that’s the silvery lining: giving these rescued elephants the best life they tin receive got post-captivity.
Because patch rescue way liberty from chains for captive elephants, the reality is that their dependence on humans, in addition to the wellness in addition to mental issues they oft endure equally a resultant of their captivity, hateful they tin never live released dorsum into the wild.
So they are brought to elephant sanctuaries similar this one, where they are given shelter, care, medical attention, in addition to the chance to socialise in addition to bond alongside other elephants. Places where they tin merely live elephants again.
“When we…see them doing their natural activities yesteryear themselves, that is the best share of our everyday.” Shivam Rai, Education & Conservation Officer, Wildlife SOS
Volunteering at the Wildlife SOS Elephant Sanctuary
In learning close the piece of work of Wildlife SOS in addition to the elephant sanctuary, nosotros sat downward alongside the centre’s footing staff to assist alongside ane of the biggest tasks of the day: cutting vegetables.
Wildlife SOS’s resident elephants each acquire through upwards to 250 kilos of nutrient every unmarried day. That’s a lot of fruit, veg in addition to fodder.
We helped the keepers to wash, chop in addition to weigh buckets of fruit in addition to veg, before moving on to haul bales of grass for each elephant.
Meeting in addition to working alongside Wildlife SOS’s footing staff is an of import share of the experience. Many of them were ane time elephant keepers working inwards the captive industry.
Despite the circumstances, elephants in addition to their keepers oft shape a bond, in addition to equally share of Wildlife SOS’s efforts to shift livelihoods away from beast exploitation, they volition unremarkably essay to convey a rescued elephant’s keeper alongside them to the centre.
“They’ve non learned a unlike way, but they soundless dearest the elephant quite a lot, hence they initially maybe spend upwards to come, but then…they are drawn to the beast hence much that they come.” Gargi Sharma, Assistant Elephant Campaign Officer, Wildlife SOS
Once at the centre, the keepers are rehabilitated too: receiving a stable salary in addition to preparation inwards the humane handling of the elephants inwards their care.
Alongside the keepers, volunteers also play an of import role at the sanctuary inwards Mathura, in addition to anyone tin sign up. Visitors wanting to volunteer alongside the elephants at Wildlife SOS tin halt yesteryear for a few hours, a day, v days or more.
In add-on to helping feed the elephants, volunteers aid alongside tasks similar cleaning the enclosures, helping alongside maintenance of the facilities, prepping enrichment treats for the elephants, working inwards the office, in addition to lots more.
One of the absolute highlights for me during our see to the centre, was the run a jeopardy to muck inwards alongside the keepers in addition to assist alongside the elephant bathing.
It was an incredible chance to acquire upwards unopen in addition to provide these ane time neglected animals alongside an experience they love; bathing is an activity elephants actively seek out inwards the wild.
Despite the cheeky calls from the keeper to ‘scrub harder’, the elephant nether my sponge seemed to relish the experience equally much equally me. Especially afterwards, when she moved off to lash her shiny, construct clean dorsum alongside trunkfuls of dirt.
Supporting a Positive Future for India’s Elephants
Each morning time in addition to afternoon, the elephants at Wildlife SOS exit their enclosures for walks alongside their keepers inwards the fields close the centre.
It was here, equally I strolled alongside best friends Maya in addition to Phoolkali, survivors of the circus in addition to street begging, that I watched equally Maya paused amidst the body of body of water of greenish leaves.
For decades before her rescue in addition to arrival at the sanctuary, she had known alone fear, hurting in addition to loneliness.
While she would never live complimentary over again inwards the truthful sense of the word, she was equally unopen to complimentary equally a sometime captive elephant could be. She could select to respite amid the leaves if she wanted…until her keeper encouraged her on, anyway.
I’d asked Shivam Rai before inwards the 24-hour interval what he would say to tourists considering an elephant experience on their travels. As I watched Maya gently touching the leaves alongside her trunk, his words came dorsum to me:
“These animals, these are wild animals, in addition to they do non deserve captive life….as a traveller, delight essay to consider what is happening.”
It was a uncomplicated message, but a powerful one. Céline Cousteau made a similar dot close go choices in addition to awareness when I spoke alongside her:
“I experience inwards life nosotros receive got a lot of choices to make, in addition to equally travellers, nosotros receive got a lot of touching that nosotros tin create inwards a positive way, for the wild fauna in addition to the people inwards the places that nosotros travel.”
Maya’s advert way ‘illusion’ inwards Hindi; a advert that takes on a profound significance inwards the context of her life, in addition to what nosotros consider in addition to don’t consider when nosotros encounter captive elephants.
As travellers, it’s our duty to live aware of the large moving-picture present when it comes to wild fauna tourism, in addition to to brand ethical in addition to compassionate choices close the wild fauna experiences nosotros have. Like refusing to become on an elephant ride, maxim no to elephant trekking, choosing non to lookout adult man elephants existence forced to perform.
Without demand, at that spot is no demand for supply, in addition to hopefully ane day, captive elephants volition live a thing of the past. Awareness is key, in addition to the choices nosotros brand equally responsible travellers become a long way inwards helping to brand go matter.
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