What makes a good elephant rehab in Asia?

Introduction: my life-long love for elephants

Growing up, I only encountered elephants in books and TV shows. Despite this, I was always fascinated by their emotional behaviour, social hierarchy, and incredible memory. Then, at one moment in my childhood, I visited a zoo and witnessed an elephant show. The show was marketed as a once-in-a-lifetime experience, with elephants doing tricks, including using trunks to paint and balancing on top of a ball. While most of the audience seemed to enjoy this show, I vividly felt something was off, although I didn’t know the cruelty behind it all yet.

As I uncovered the dark reality of the entertainment industry, I learned about a torturing process called ‘phajaan’, and the troubling truth about elephant riding. This activity causes lasting physical and psychological harm to the elephants. Despite their large size, an elephant’s back is not structurally built to handle heavy weights, causing permanent damage. After increased public awareness about the negative impact of this high-level interaction tourism, elephant rides are now seen as more and more socially unacceptable, leading to “softer” interactions in other venues such as feeding elephants, or simply observing them without involving any hands-on activity.

Years after witnessing that elephant show, I travelled to rural Thailand, determined to give back to the elephants. I volunteered at the Wildlife Friends Foundation in Thailand, Southeast Asia’s first chain-free rehabilitation and rescue centre for wildlife. However, trying to figure out truly ethical places to support, I quickly realised that advertising can be misleading. While some facilities rescue and provide care, other places improperly use the term only to justify the captivity of wild animals and to attract donations at the expense of elephants’ welfare. Therefore, it is essential to do thorough research before visiting any elephant facility and find clues about elephants’ welfare. Especially in Southeast Asia, things are shifting rapidly in animal tourism, making constant updates essential.

Understanding Animal Care: Sanctuaries, Rescue Centers, and Zoos Explained

Ideally, all elephants should be free and roaming in nature, but unfortunately, that is not the reality today. When elephants are not in a position to live in the wild due to captivity or injury, rescue centres and sanctuaries are established to offer them care and safeguarding. Even so, the way these facilities operate varies.
Since many associate “sanctuary” positively, it is used loosely in the tourist industry. To put it plainly, a true sanctuary is a place that will prioritise elephants’ welfare above profit, serving their needs instead of humans. They take care of animals that do not have a chance to be released into the wild and stay in permanent captive care, yet let them roam freely in a large area. Breeding is typically not allowed. While riding and performing are prohibited, some sanctuaries enable tourists to feed and bathe elephants. Nevertheless, they can take away the autonomy of an elephant and be harmful. Even such more gentle activities can be considered controlling and harmful for an elephant.

Rescue centers focus mainly on rehabilitating wildlife that has been kept illegally. There are three main components of rehabilitation: autonomy, dependable companionship, and the elephants’ perception of physical safety and comfort. Usually, these rescue centres are not open to the public, aiming to release rescued animals into the wild or relocate them to sanctuary care. When ready for release back into the wild, elephants show signs such as acting sociable around other elephants, avoiding humans, balancing their diet with the right vegetation, and engaging in migratory activities daily. As rescue centers work to improve wild populations, they may also run breeding programs for conservation purposes.

Zoos usually house animals, some of them sourced from the wild, for permanent care. From the human perspective, zoos entertain, educate, or do both. Indeed, zoos vary immensely from bad to good in animal welfare. While some participate in education, engage in conservation efforts, and release animals into more natural environments, others use animals purposely for human entertainment, providing minimal care for animal welfare.

Creating a good sanctuary for Asian elephants

A good elephant sanctuary should minimise human interactions, allowing elephants to make their own decisions. Facilities must offer natural behavioural enrichment by mirroring the natural habitat, including enough space, diverse topography, vegetation, and water sources. Elephants require constant mental and physical stimulation, making vast and varied spaces essential, while creating opportunities to interact with others. Furthermore, prioritising rehabilitation and welfare including proper veterinary care, special diets, and physical treatment are crucial for elephants to recover from injuries and trauma. Some well-established elephant sanctuaries and projects are Elephant Valley Project, Cambodia and Elephant Nature Park, Thailand.

Red flags for an unethical or poorly managed sanctuary

• Getting hands-on experience with the elephants, such as rides, or witnessing a performance for entertainment, like painting.
• Close contact with elephants implies constant control over them, which can lead to a loss of freedom.
• Chains. around the animal’s legs. Some use them “only” during the night, but it is still a sign of coercion and low welfare.
• Presenting baby elephants, especially without mothers, is often a sign of exploitation.
• Always observe the behaviour of an elephant! For instance, aggressiveness is often a result of feeling fear.

Conclusion: We can all make a difference

Many people visiting Southeast Asia will hope to see a glimpse of an elephant. Since spotting them in the wild can be extremely challenging, ethical sanctuaries can offer a good alternative. For me, volunteering in a sanctuary was a life-changing experience, leading to a path of studying ecology and conservation and pursuing a career committed to those in need.

Eco-tourism has played a pivotal role in safeguarding wildlife and promoting animal welfare across Asia. By generating revenue through responsible tourism, local communities have been incentivised to protect their natural habitats, reducing deforestation and poaching activities. For instance, in Thailand, elephant sanctuaries have shifted from exploitative practices to ethical care, allowing elephants to roam freely and interact naturally.

We have the power to reshape the animal tourism industry. With the freedom to choose comes the responsibility to make ethical decisions. Boycotting places that use elephants for entertainment and instead supporting places that prioritise their well-being can have a significant impact. We can ensure that elephants have a better future by choosing sanctuaries whose main focus is rehabilitation and welfare. Every visitor will contribute to the problem or the solution – let’s be part of the solution and lend our voices to those who cannot speak for themselves.