Tourists and travelers have always longed for elephant rides to explore the lush green forests. Admiring birds, animals, and streams from an elephant’s back is a relaxing activity, but the same cannot be said for the elephants that you ride. Elephants undergo through countless cruelties before they are prepared to take people for rides on their backs. So, the next time your child wants to go for an elephant ride, explain to them about the pain they endure. Let us unravel the truth about elephant riding!
Elephants are given a cruel life
Elephants are captured from the forests and held captives. They are kept in chains for the rest of their lives and don’t even have the freedom of movement. Elephants are beasts of the jungle, and their feet are not meant to walk the roads. Their feet and nail suffer injuries as they get sores and wounds from walking on the roads. These wounds are hardly tended to, and they get infected. Female elephants and their calves are usually captivated as they are easier to control. They go through a torturous life of a prisoner and never live to their actual age.
Their training phase is painful
The younger the elephant, the sooner it learns. Thus, babies or young elephants are trained to obey orders. They are beaten with bullhooks and other sharp instruments to follow the orders of their master. They are chained, beaten, and starved till they learn the tricks taught to them. Researchers found elephants to suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PSTD) after they were subject to harsh treatment by their masters. Elephants belong to the forest, live in herds, bathe in rivers, and are very playful. Studies show they have emotions and thus also have families. They can feel happiness and pain. Their lives are destroyed when they are in captivity. They are forced to carry riders, perform tricks or lift loads. They do not deserve a painful life where they have to spend long hours in chains.
Do not believe scam sanctuaries
There are many elephant camps across the world that claims activities to be beneficial for the elephants. They claim to have given them sanctuary in their camps, but the reality is quite different. Animals usually face abuse and deprivation at these facilities. Elephants are considered merely as instruments for entertainment, for business purposes.
Since you understand the truth about elephant riding now, you must make your kids aware of it too. We at Animal Club love all animals and never keep animals that are not permitted legally.
You can invite Animal Club for animal parties or animal handling workshop. All our animals are escorted by their presenters, and they help the crowd to understand and interact with the animals. We also have animal school visit where you can ask us to bring a certain type of animals depending on the learning or the lesson that you are following and would like the children to learn about those animals specifically. We also arrange animal workshop for children of all age groups. Our animals can also be invited for adult interaction in corporate events or for an animal party themed birthday.
Animal Club also has a mobile zoo that can travel with our animals and their presenters to different venues or to the place where the event is being held. The crowd can interact with the animals and ask as many questions about them to our presenters, who will be more than happy to answer them.