The Thailand Elephant Crisis: How to Save the Elephants
Not for the first time, the Asian elephant is under threat. This time the danger doesn’t come from long-term habitat loss or years of poaching whittling down the population, however. No, in 2020 the threat comes from a danger that poses a very immediate and devastating impact.
COVID-19.
Elephants are not at risk of infection, but instead they are at risk because we are at risk. In Thailand, there are nearly 4000 (known) domesticated elephants. Many of these animals live on lodges and lands dedicated to wildlife tourism.
While it cannot be said that all of these (or indeed many of these) offer ethical or sustainable tourism opportunities, that is besides the point. At the moment, elephants in Thailand face an even greater threat than exploitation, they face starvation.
Elephants in Thailand Face Near Certain Death - Unless We Act
The risk to life is very real for elephants in Thailand. These animals, often domesticated from birth, are not equipped to survive in the wild. They rely on humans to feed and care for them, but as COVID-19 spreads across the world, travel lockdowns have been enforced and tourism in Thailand has ground to a halt.
Elephants are expensive to keep and often not homed in the most affluent areas of Thailand. There is little money to look after these animals when the constant stream of tourism is not sustained.
The economics, ethics and politics of this situation could be argued for hours, but the bottom line is this: elephants in Thailand rely on money from tourism to survive, and there are no tourists anymore.
Without a steady stream of money, those who own elephants lose revenue. They can’t afford to feed themselves, let alone the elephants in their care. This means one of three things can happen:
The elephant will die of starvation
The elephant will be sold into illicit logging
The elephant may be bought by a zoo or given to a sanctuary.
More than likely, the animal will starve. While zoos and sanctuaries will take on the animals they can, they do not have the infrastructure to support such a massive undertaking. In an apt symmetry to current healthcare services struggling under the weight of COVID-19 cases, this sudden change has left the elephants of Thailand in a very bad position.
What Can We Do?
The answer to this plight isn’t going to come as a surprise to many. Elephants in Thailand are starving because of a lack of money entering the once thriving tourist industry. To support these elephants, money has to come via other means.
Charitable donations are the best solution. Aid provided to charities and sanctuaries fighting to keep elephants fed can make a big difference. At Xplore Our Planet, we’ve donated through Trunks Up USA. This registered charity is linked to Elephant Nature Park, one of the most reputable and ethical elephant sanctuaries anywhere in Thailand. You can donate directly to Elephant Nature Park through Trunks Up.
During this crisis, Elephant Nature Park has not only been supporting its own elephant residents, but also buying food packages for numerous other struggling sanctuaries and parks in Thailand. By donating this way, you can help to feed hundreds of elephants in Thailand.
