You Need to Read This.

SAVE THE ELEPHANTS: As many of you already know, I recently returned from a month in Thailand where I helped give veterinary care to rescued Asian elephants at the Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai. Below is one of the elephants we worked with daily - an older female called Mae Tee. 

Before she was rescued, Mae Tee worked for two owners who used her for illegal logging. The first owner worked Mae Tee throughout the day and the second drugged her and continued working her through the night. As a result, Mae Tee has problems with deteriorated joints along with foot rot and ulcers on her feet. Although she currently receives treatment from veterinary volunteers at the park, the veterinary wraps used to cover Mae Tee's rear feet are costly and need to be replaced twice a day in order to keep her feet dry and clean.

WHAT'S GOING ON: You might still be wondering why Asian elephants need to be rescued. Unlike their African relatives, Asian elephants are not as highly targeted for ivory poaching especially given that many lack tusks to begin with. They are, however, still threatened by humans in the form of the tourism and entertainment industries. 

People generally have a misconception that elephants are gentle and intelligent creatures that are easily trained to preform circus tricks or cart tourists around on their backs. This is NOT the case. Although they are indeed intelligent, elephants are wild and unpredictable creatures that don't readily get along with humans. They CAN be trained using a reward system, but the traditional methods of elephant training often involve 'breaking the elephant's spirit' in order to make the animal fearful, submissive and obedient.

In Thailand, this method is called the Phajaan and involves locking a young elephant in a wooden cage (called a crush) and beating the animal with bull hooks and sticks until it becomes obedient. Once the elephant is sufficiently 'broken', it is released from the crush and begins a life of learning how to please its owner or getting beaten with a bull hook every time it disobeys. Some elephants are even struck at in the eyes and left with permanent blindness.

Thailand, however, is not the only country involved in the cruel training and treatment of elephants. In fact, the training methods used on many captive elephants around the world are cause for alarm. Some circuses such as the Ringling Brothers breed elephants on a farm, separating babies from their mothers the moment they are born and breaking them at a young age with the use of bull hooks, ropes and electric prods. Even elephants in zoos or amusement parks are often mistreated or simply not provided with an environment suitable to their physical and mental needs. That is not to say that all circuses, zoos and amusement parks are bad - just do your research and be sure that you know what you're supporting before purchasing a ticket!

HOW YOU CAN HELP: The most effective way to help save the Asian elephant is to stay educated and spread the word! Don't support elephant riding in Thailand or circuses that use elephants (or, for that matter any other kind of wild animal) in their acts and tell your family/friends to do the same! You don't have to ride an elephant or watch it preform tricks in order to appreciate it. Just let it be an elephant - I promise that you will still be amazed.