Welfare Assessment and Activities of Captive Elephants in Thailand
Abstract
:Simple Summary
Abstract
1. Overview of Captive Elephant Management and Tourism
2. Captive Elephant Laws and Regulations
3. Challenges Facing Elephant Tourism
4. Studies Conducted on Welfare of Tourist Elephants
5. Five Domains Model—So How Well Do Camps Comply?
5.1. Nutrition
5.2. Environment
5.3. Health
5.4. Behavior
5.5. Mental State
6. Welfare-Related Activities in Thailand
6.1. Asian Captive Elephant Working Group (ACEWG)
6.2. Thai Elephant Alliance Association
6.3. Development of Camp Standards
6.4. Collaboration with Tourism Organizations
6.5. National Elephant Conservation Action Plan
6.6. Welfare Training Course and Workshops
7. Recommendations for the Future
Funding
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Year | Event |
---|---|
Late 13th century | Sukhothai kingdom: wild elephants caught and trained for war |
Late 17th century | Ayutthaya kingdom: wild elephants caught and trained for war |
Late 18th century | Rattanakosin era: wild elephants caught and trained for war |
Late 19th century | Logging industry: wild and captive-born elephants employed for building roads and dragging logs to export sites |
1921 | Wild Elephant Protection Act: killing or capture of wild elephants prohibited |
1939 | Draught Animal Act: elephants considered private property |
1969 | Young Elephant Training Center established in Lampang |
1970 | Hill Tribe trekking tours established in northern Thailand |
1972 | Young Elephant Training Center established in Chiang Dao |
1989 | Logging prohibited by law |
1990 | Elephant camps established to provide work for former logging elephants |
1992 | Thai Elephant Conservation Center (TECC) established in Lampang (later change to National Elephant Institute (NEI)) |
2017 | Captive population census updated using DNA fingerprinting |
Today | Elephants mainly used in tourism, with some working in rubber plantations in the south |
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Bansiddhi, P.; Brown, J.L.; Thitaram, C. Welfare Assessment and Activities of Captive Elephants in Thailand. Animals 2020, 10, 919. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10060919
Bansiddhi P, Brown JL, Thitaram C. Welfare Assessment and Activities of Captive Elephants in Thailand. Animals. 2020; 10(6):919. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10060919
Chicago/Turabian StyleBansiddhi, Pakkanut, Janine L. Brown, and Chatchote Thitaram. 2020. "Welfare Assessment and Activities of Captive Elephants in Thailand" Animals 10, no. 6: 919. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10060919