Elephant trekking, or elephant riding, has long been on the Asia traveller’s
bucket list. Whether learning how to be a mahout in Thailand, tracking rhino and
tiger through the jungles of Nepal or riding a rescued elephant in a Sri Lankan
sanctuary, elephant rides have traditionally been seen as a way of getting
closer to nature while simultaneously conserving this endangered species.
However, more and more travellers and tour operators are starting to question
the ethics of riding these wild animals, as well as the methods used to train
them. And the more questions that are asked about elephant riding, the more it
becomes clearer that not only is this not an ethical means of conserving
elephants – it is, in fact precipitating their extinction in the wild.
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