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Abuse in Southeast Asia
Many elephants face hardships in the domestic work force in Asia. Listed below are a few examples of what is currently happening today.
- The seats that are made to carry tourist in the trekking camps are not designed to fit the elephant’s back, resulting in long term spinal damage to the elephants.
- A “bullhook” (a stick with a sharp metal poker and hook at one end) is used to control elephants, and is harmful as it draws blood when used.
- Many street begging elephants live on the outskirts of cities and freeways in Thailand, Burma, Laos and Cambodia. These elephants are often underfed and live in harmful surroundings. Many accidents occur between cars and elephants, with the elephants not being properly cared for in the aftermath.
- Although a ban was put on the logging industry in Asia in the late 80’s the illegal logging industry still thrives. The elephants that are used are overworked, underfed and not properly cared for when injured. They are used to carry heavy logs using their trunks and backs for many hours a day. Most of these elephants will work themselves to death.
- A cruel phajaan training ceremony is used to domesticate wild elephants. The elephant is confided to a wooden box built all around him where he is unable to move. For ten days the animal is beaten and poked at with sticks, hooks and other objects. The animal suffers from hunger, lack of sleep and pain. When the elephant finally ceases resistance, the trainers find it easier to train it.
- Elephants are still used for entertainment purposes. People pay to watch elephants paint with their trunks, do tricks, and perform in shows. Most of these elephants had to suffer the phaajaan training so that they could learn to perform these tricks.
- When a baby elephant is born it supposed to stay by its mother to be nurtured and weaned off the mother’s milk. In trekking camps, captive baby elephants are forced to do long treks with its adult mom because it needs to be by her. This can result in over 8hrs of trekking for a baby elephant which needs rest and nurture form its exhausted mother.
