How Are The Elephants Treated In Samui?

[JoneL]

Hi!

I did read that there is some elephant safari or elephant ride in Koh Samui (maybe in the Chaweng area)?

How are the elephants doing? Do they (the thais/owners) treat them well/good?

What is your experience/point of view? Are the elephants having "good" life?

And any other info is also welcome (how much is the price for elephant ride? where do they go? where I can get a elephant ride)?

I have never seen real living elephant!

I would love to see one! But if it is treated poorly, that would be too sad....

[zach]

I would like to know as well

[Hex]

They are kinda like horses, only they are elephants. I guess they are doing fine. You will find them in the middle of the island near the waterfalls and stuff.

[Samuian]

....not very much according to their lifestyle...despite that I won't be able to stop this.. I would highly recommend NOT to take the ride.. it's not the elephant which profits from it....

Anyone seen the "Tigers" in the Samui Aquarium"?

Malnourished and (probably) on Tranqualizers when on Show... like the one taking pictures with in this samll cage - babe if this one one day gets off............!

[goldfish]

I would like to know as well

same here. I don't know how elephants should be handled but thais are not, generally speaking, known for their sensitive care of animals. The elephants I have seen do have a lot of discolouration and tears on the ears. I believe I have seen the trainers carrying a thin stick with a blunt nail through it. They also have a lot of discolouration on the ankle and around the neck where the chain goes.

Please note, I do not know the correct procedure for care of an elephant. Putting a red-hot horseshoe on a horses hoof then affixing it with nails seems barbaric to me

[Rooo]

I would like to know as well

same here. I don't know how elephants should be handled but thais are not, generally speaking, known for their sensitive care of animals. The elephants I have seen do have a lot of discolouration and tears on the ears. I believe I have seen the trainers carrying a thin stick with a blunt nail through it. They also have a lot of discolouration on the ankle and around the neck where the chain goes.

Please note, I do not know the correct procedure for care of an elephant. Putting a red-hot horseshoe on a horses hoof then affixing it with nails seems barbaric to me

I agree with most comments here ,Elephants in Thailand are part of Folklore.Everyday life etc.....They have been around for years,admittedly they are not native to Samui & there is a watch committee monitoring the effect of their droppings eg...attraction of flies& different insects.In general I think they are treated quite well by their Mahoots.From their work in captivity logging & so forth,I think they are having a break.How many stories do you read about them getting injured in the wild & how mistreated they are. All you have to do is Google elephant shelters in Thailand.

Like any animal lover. I tend to worry.when people have to talk about handling & discipline methods well hmmmmmmmmm I tend to agree with you guys.They use THE STICK on their EARS to control them.

They are big animals & not that easy to control, but at the end of the day I think they are better off here,then running around Bangkok or getting their legs blown off by some mine on the Burmese border.It's the same as training any animal, you need to be assertive & with that size?????????????

Bear in mind ,not so long ago , maybe a couple of years,a rogue elephant killed one tourist in Changmai.

Treat them with respect & caution.I am sure if they are mistreated the the animal welfare( ELEPHANT) will be very active to any complaints.

[meatgrowler]

Hi!

I did read that there is some elephant safari or elephant ride in Koh Samui (maybe in the Chaweng area)?

How are the elephants doing? Do they (the thais/owners) treat them well/good?

What is your experience/point of view? Are the elephants having "good" life?

And any other info is also welcome (how much is the price for elephant ride? where do they go? where I can get a elephant ride)?

I have never seen real living elephant!

I would love to see one! But if it is treated poorly, that would be too sad....

they are treated very well,they get treated to a meal in pregos every 2 weeks!!!!

[JoneL]

http://www.elephantnaturepark.org/tour/index.htm

I did find this place. But is up in the Northern Thailand.

I think in parks like this one elephants truly have better conditions + life than in those trekking/riding places.

What do you think?

Are there any parks like this Elephant Nature Park in Samui or near Samui?

Or is this really the only park where elephants can life more free?

[Little Black Duck]

....not very much according to their lifestyle...despite that I won't be able to stop this.. I would highly recommend NOT to take the ride.. it's not the elephant which profits from it....

Anyone seen the "Tigers" in the Samui Aquarium"?

Malnourished and (probably) on Tranquilizers when on Show... like the one taking pictures with in this small cage - babe if this one one day gets off............!

I concur Mr Samuian, its called exploitation...