Elephant camp adjusts to new normal by removing shackles, waiving entrance fees

By The Nation

 

 

Chiang Mai’s Mae Sa Elephant Camp will open its doors from Monday (June 15) onwards, but will not take any admission fees. Also, no elephant rides will be offered, nor will there be any performances and elderly members of the pachyderm family will be allowed to roam free.

 

“We want to return freedom to the elephants, so we have stopped shackling elderly female elephants, who have been walking free since the end of 2019. This group of elephants have been transferred to a new enclosure, which we have kept as natural as possible. As for the 31 male elephants, they are still shackled but are being kept in a forested area near the camp,” the camp’s owner Anchalee Kalmapijit said.

 

The camp has been closed since March 23 in line with Covid-19 restrictions and has lost its daily income of around Bt200,000, most of which is spent feeding the 78 elephants, she added.

 

Meanwhile, all visitors will have to undergo temperature screening before being allowed in, the camp will provide hand-washing spots, require all visitors wear face masks and follow the path specified for entry and exit. Though elephant shows and trekking have been cancelled, the camp has created zones for tourists to participate in activities with the elephants. The camp will also call on visitors to help take care of the animals by making donations, eating at the coffeeshop and making purchases at the gift shop.

 

The camp has also set up an area for mahouts to sell merchandise or food until the tourism situation returns to normal.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30389459?utm_source=category&utm_medium=internal_referral

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-06-11

 

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4 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

As for the 31 male elephants, they are still shackled

Unacceptable.

so only because of covid it's no longer necessary to shackle some elephants, do show and rides? that should have been abolished LONG ago. ????

have elephant races with bookmakers and a betting ring, bar and saddle enclosure. 

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

Elephant camp adjusts to new normal by removing shackles, waiving entrance fees

By The Nation

Fake news headline. That is BULL S-H-Y-T. 

 

1 hour ago, khwaibah said:

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

As for the 31 male elephants, they are still shackled

Unacceptable.

 

I'd like to know what activities with the elephants I can participate in.

 A rare admission (albeit tacit) from an elephant camp that shackling elephants is cruel.  Wishing them bankruptcy and despair, in the hope that the elphants can be re-homed to rehabilitation centres and live out the remainder of their lives with some happiness and dignity.

17 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

“We want to return freedom to the elephants

So close the place completely and let the elephants go... instead of shackling them up to stop them escaping.

21 hours ago, OneeyedJohn said:

I'd like to know what activities with the elephants I can participate in.

The place I went to near Chiang Mai a couple of years back didn't have them doing tricks, rides etc. I specifically didn't want that. They were all retired. Got to mix up food for them, feed them, learn about them and go elephant bathing in the river (wash and scrub one of them). I found that pretty satisfying. 

 

Did an elephant ride once and wouldn't do it again now I know better about the ethics. It isn't even that comfortable in any case - mine nearly went AWOL more than once! 

 

Likewise, won't visit other animal "attractions" in Thailand anymore unless they are ethical. Photo-ops with drugged tigers etc. don't really appeal

7 hours ago, hotchilli said:

So close the place completely and let the elephants go... instead of shackling them up to stop them escaping.

Don't think that's possible if they are dependent on humans - won't know how to forage etc.