For many travellers, seeing elephants is one of the highlights of a trip to destinations such as Thailand, Laos or Sri Lanka. At the same time, commercial elephant attractions often raise concerns about animal welfare and how the elephants are treated.

As a visitor, your choices can help influence the development of elephant tourism. Look for places that put the elephants' welfare before entertainment and commercial interests.

Elephants and Bathing

Elephants naturally use water and mud to cool themselves, care for their skin and protect themselves from insects. Watching elephants choose to bathe, splash or wallow can therefore be an opportunity to observe natural behaviour.

However, organised bathing sessions in which tourists enter the water to wash, touch or pose with elephants are different from elephants bathing naturally. Consider choosing places where visitors observe the elephants rather than routinely participating in bathing or other close-contact activities.

Should You Ride an Elephant?

Views on elephant riding have varied between organisations and experts, but many animal welfare organisations now recommend choosing elephant attractions that do not offer riding at all. In particular, avoid facilities where elephants carry heavy seating platforms or take tourists on prolonged rides.

Mahouts and Elephant Keepers

Many elephant keepers, known as mahouts, develop long-term relationships with the elephants in their care. Knowledge, traditions, working conditions and handling methods vary considerably between regions and individual facilities. As a visitor, it can be difficult to assess how elephants are treated behind the scenes.

Good elephant welfare also depends on knowledgeable, well-trained keepers with appropriate working conditions. Responsible facilities should therefore care about the welfare and training of their staff as well as the welfare of their elephants.

How Can You Recognise a More Responsible Elephant Attraction?

• The elephants have sufficient space and opportunities to move around freely.
• Animal welfare, veterinary care and appropriately trained staff are clear priorities.
• The facility does not offer circus-style performances or unnatural tricks.
• The elephants are able to express natural behaviours such as feeding, foraging, bathing, resting and interacting with other elephants.
• Visitors primarily observe the elephants rather than expecting constant physical interaction with them.
• The facility is transparent about where its elephants come from and how they are cared for.
• Where rescue, rehabilitation or conservation is claimed, the facility provides clear information about what this work actually involves.