Open AccessReview
Welfare Assessment and Activities of Captive Elephants in Thailand
by
1,2, 1,3 and 1,2,*
1
Center of Elephant and Wildlife Research, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand
2
Department of Companion Animals and Wildlife Clinics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand
3
Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA 22630, USA
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 21 March 2020
/
Revised: 11 May 2020
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Accepted: 19 May 2020
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Published: 26 May 2020
Simple Summary
In Thailand, captive elephants are used in tourism and involved in a variety of activities, such as feeding, bathing, riding, or just observation. The welfare of these elephants has been a topic of intense debate in recent years, resulting in divergent opinions on what are or are not appropriate uses. This paper summarizes the current status of captive elephants in Thailand, highlighting issues and challenges facing elephant tourism today. We review recent welfare studies conducted to understand how tourist activities affect welfare outcomes and provide recommendations for the future. Captive elephants in Thailand must be managed under human care with good practices aimed at meeting welfare needs to ensure healthy, sustainable populations. Our goal is to provide information to elephant facilities on best practices, and relay findings to governmental and tourist organizations in Thailand to ensure the welfare and sustainability of this important species.