How Humans Harm and Help Elephants – The Plight Of The Elephants

It’s no secret that humans love elephants. These gentle giants appear in our media, merchandise, and adorable stuffed animal form for children and adults worldwide to enjoy. Unfortunately, humans worldwide do not treat elephants well outside of our expressions of love for elephants.

In this article, we will discuss elephants’ plight and the actions that can be taken to correct their previous mistreatment.

The Unsettling History of Elephant Mistreatment – Plight of the Elephants

Elephants are hunted for their ivory, forced to provide transportation for tourists, and cornered into captivity. Between elephant slavery, zoos, and circuses, elephants have been mistreated by humans throughout history.

This mistreatment has resulted in the endangered status of Asian elephants and the threatened status of African elephants. These designations tell us that the populations of wild and captive elephants are dwindling to dangerous lows.

In captivity, elephants are often abused, prodded, beaten, and harmed under the guise of the “discipline” of these gentle creatures. An article published in the Los Angeles Times describes the neglectful conditions in which elephants are even kept in American zoos, where people often believe that elephants are treated humanely.

What is an Elephant Sanctuary?

But for some, a sanctuary from the harm that poachers or others who wish to hurt animals cause damage to them in different ways. Elephant tourism is popular, but its benefits for the elephants are often minimal to none. Instead, these elephants are usually chained and forced to participate in behaviors that are unnatural for them.

In this way, not all sanctuaries are equal, and many do not focus on the quality of life for Asian elephants or ethical tourism. Those who travel to other countries specifically to see elephants can do so in many places in amazing Thailand. However, they should be careful to choose locations that truly save elephants and allow them to be in their natural habitats.

An example of an ethical elephant sanctuary in Chiang Mai, Thailand, is the Elephant Freedom Project. At Elephant Freedom Project, the elephants are in their natural habitats, and there is no use of chains or other means of force, and they can be interacted with only in natural ways.

To visit the Elephant Freedom Project, you can learn more about the ethical sanctuary at www.elephantfreedom.org or by calling (66) 95 785-5191.