Elephants Forced To Walk Across Metal Tightropes In Thailand's Safari World

[george]

CIRCUS CRUELTY

Elephants forced to walk across metal tightropes in Thailand's Safari World

This is the cruel moment an elephant is forced to walk across a metal tightrope to form a tourist attraction in Thailand.

The fully-grown animals are being trained to teeter across reinforced ropes in front of hordes of tourists at the controversial Safari World on the outskirts of Bangkok.

Trainers make the elephants climb on to a raised platform before they make their way gingerly across using their tails to balance.

Pics and full story: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1326182/Circus-cruelty-Adult-elephants-forced-walk-metal-tightropes-Thailand-tourist-attraction.html

[apollo13]

The training methods used to make the elephants perform in these shows is really horrifying and in any civilized country would be outlawed. Was the elephant not on the old flag of Siam? I've heard a few tales of the trekking elephants receiving nasty treatment from their owners as well.....anybody out there seen it.?......time for a mass boycott.....let the travel agents selling the tickets for the shows and trekking know it's unacceptable......spread the word amongst the backpackers.

Edited November 3, 2010 by apollo13

[engineer139]

I live about 5 minutes from Safari World and the wife has been after me to go with the kids and now that i've seen this there is no way in hel_l that I will take them. I would rather spend that money and donate it to an Elephant rescue center if there is one.

[yellow1red1]

totally heartless...

ALSO what about the whole exotic animal smuggling black market?

Bing it + Safari World

[DP25]

Better to let the animals starve than to perform tricks like this!

[RKASA]

I live about 5 minutes from Safari World and the wife has been after me to go with the kids and now that i've seen this there is no way in hel_l that I will take them. I would rather spend that money and donate it to an Elephant rescue center if there is one.

Yes there is about 17 km from Lampang - just past Hang chot. Main HWY to Chang Mai. They have a Hospital and recovery center for Elephants. It is a nice place to visit. I Lived near there back in the days the Elephants worked in the train yard. Wow that was a long time ago. They were my alarm clock - they would drag their chains past my hut every morning at 5AM. .

[pedro01]

Shock Horror.

Elephant walking 4 metres on 2 cables, turning around and then walking back.

On other shows I have seen such horrors as:

- Elephant riding a bicycle

- Elephant walking across 2 prone tourists

- Elephant dancing to disco music

- Elephant eating bananas

- Elephants being ridden by humans

- Elephant demonstrating how they used to help loggers in the past

Get a grip for heaven's sake.

It's not as if they are being flayed alive. The animals look healthy at these places. This is just liberal clap-trap from the UK.

Nothing wrong with these places at all.

Edited November 3, 2010 by pedro01

[jayjay0]

I don't get it. Why is it wrong to teach them to do a trick. Where is the cruelty in that. I read the article and it said nothing about cruelty. For all I know the Elephants enjoy it. Now if they were starving them such as one poster suggested that would be different. Are they beating them are they giving them shocks what is it that they are doing that is cruel?

Now if they took them into the big city and forced them to walk on concrete or bricks all day I would tend to think that is cruel.There feet were not designed for that.

I just hope that some of them don't die a horrible death due to lack of attention.

[londonthai]

the elephant is not forced, but trained (takes 6 months according to the article) to do this trick.

if they captivity and training is humane, with proper care and attention, so be it - myself I do have 2 cats and 2 dogs

[LennyW]

The elephants at Sri Racha Tiger Zoo have been doing this trick for 15+ years now - a non story if you ask me, next!

[siampolee]

One needs to remember that the way a nation treats its animals reflects upon the way it treats its citizens.

[DP25]

the elephant is not forced, but trained (takes 6 months according to the article) to do this trick.

Seriously doubt the writers from have any clue how long it takes, they just get sent some pictures and make stuff up

[jayjayjayjay]

I run an adventure business in Thailand. The first rule is you do not use gimmicks to attract your customers. Safari World needs to be urgently policed somehow. This is horrific to everyone except the owners and the largely poorly educated Thai visitor who will see nothing but the entertainment value, not the unrealistic expectations put on the young elephant.

I wonder if the owners of Safari World and the elephants trainer would be willing to walk a tightrope between two high-rise in Bangkok without safety need or harnesses! They should be made too.

[SomTumTiger]

I visited Safari world one time, and decided it was not a good place. Many of the animals in the open park (that you drive through) looked mangy and underfed. They had chimpanzee's walking around dressed in clothes, even though its been known for quite some time that chimps can catch a lot of contagion from humans who haven't been properly vaccinated. I won't be going there again. If you want to see a small, but nicely organized animal attraction, may I suggest the Dusit Zoo, or the Siam Ocean World. Steer clear of Safari World.

[canuckamuck]

Elephants are amazing animals and incredibly intelligent. Walking a tightrope is a brilliant trick and it just adds to the wonder. If someone can come up with evidence that walking on these ropes is in someway harmful to them, I would have a different opinion. But until then I can't see any reason why there is a problem. I would say this demonstration just makes people love them more and even more interested in their conservation.

Highly trained animals are often the best cared for animals.

[onnut]

Shock Horror.

Elephant walking 4 metres on 2 cables, turning around and then walking back.

On other shows I have seen such horrors as:

- Elephant riding a bicycle

- Elephant walking across 2 prone tourists

- Elephant dancing to disco music

- Elephant eating bananas

- Elephants being ridden by humans

- Elephant demonstrating how they used to help loggers in the past

Get a grip for heaven's sake.

It's not as if they are being flayed alive. The animals look healthy at these places. This is just liberal clap-trap from the UK.

Nothing wrong with these places at all.

I agree in a way what you are trying to say! but do you know how these animals are trained to do these tricks? this is the most shocking thing about it, its not the tricks themselves, its how the animals are treated while being forced to do the tricks. go and see for yourself, you may then realise what the problem is just about.

[pedro01]

I run an adventure business in Thailand. The first rule is you do not use gimmicks to attract your customers. Safari World needs to be urgently policed somehow. This is horrific to everyone except the owners and the largely poorly educated Thai visitor who will see nothing but the entertainment value, not the unrealistic expectations put on the young elephant.

I wonder if the owners of Safari World and the elephants trainer would be willing to walk a tightrope between two high-rise in Bangkok without safety need or harnesses! They should be made too.

You do realise the elephants are 3 feet off the ground, right ?

[random]

I run an adventure business in Thailand. The first rule is you do not use gimmicks to attract your customers. Safari World needs to be urgently policed somehow. This is horrific to everyone except the owners and the largely poorly educated Thai visitor who will see nothing but the entertainment value, not the unrealistic expectations put on the young elephant.

I wonder if the owners of Safari World and the elephants trainer would be willing to walk a tightrope between two high-rise in Bangkok without safety need or harnesses! They should be made too.

You do realise the elephants are 3 feet off the ground, right ?

Just to be devils advocate here, elephants can not jump, so i would imagine a fall, even landing on their feet, could do some damage.

[jayjay0]

Shock Horror.

Elephant walking 4 metres on 2 cables, turning around and then walking back.

On other shows I have seen such horrors as:

- Elephant riding a bicycle

- Elephant walking across 2 prone tourists

- Elephant dancing to disco music

- Elephant eating bananas

- Elephants being ridden by humans

- Elephant demonstrating how they used to help loggers in the past

Get a grip for heaven's sake.

It's not as if they are being flayed alive. The animals look healthy at these places. This is just liberal clap-trap from the UK.

Nothing wrong with these places at all.

I agree in a way what you are trying to say! but do you know how these animals are trained to do these tricks? this is the most shocking thing about it, its not the tricks themselves, its how the animals are treated while being forced to do the tricks. go and see for yourself, you may then realise what the problem is just about.

The big question is do you know how they are being trained.? If so kindly post it instead of a mindless accusation .

[phaethon]

This the Daily Mail. There may be something to it, but knee-jerk journalism is their stock in trade.

There is nothing in the article from authoritative sources, e.g. national or international animal welfare organizations, that details what training methods are used, whether the animals' feet suffer or they suffer any other long-term health problems nor what the consequences of a fall might be nor how many animals are crippled or killed during training/performance.

These shows also go on at Samut Prakan Crocodile Farm:

Who knows what goes on behind the scenes in training, but I saw no whips or cattle prods or, for that matter even an ankus. The Daily Mail certainly doesn't provide any backup information beyond their usual "aren't foreigners dreadful' line.

Having siad that the zoo at SPCF is a dismal, run-down affair.

"I have seen elephants playing basketball and football; monkey riding motorbikes, but I have never seen anything like this before."

That's a new one on me, I've never seen a motorcycle riding a monkey...

[onnut]

Jayjay0.

Not going to argue with you! Go see for yourself.

No need to reply coz I will not be looking to see if you do.

[quiksilva]

Another worthless article from the Daily Fail

[Amir]

Shock Horror.

Elephant walking 4 metres on 2 cables, turning around and then walking back.

On other shows I have seen such horrors as:

- Elephant riding a bicycle

- Elephant walking across 2 prone tourists

- Elephant dancing to disco music

- Elephant eating bananas

- Elephants being ridden by humans

- Elephant demonstrating how they used to help loggers in the past

Get a grip for heaven's sake.

It's not as if they are being flayed alive. The animals look healthy at these places. This is just liberal clap-trap from the UK.

Nothing wrong with these places at all.

Yeah... and what about dolphins trained to jump 3 meters high, and parrots forced to speak human or riding mini tricycles....

Edited November 4, 2010 by Amir

[phaethon]

Yeah... and what about dolphins trained to jump 3 meters high, and parrots forced to speak human or riding mini tricycles....

...and Sarah Palin forced to walk on her hind legs and wear lipstick...

[Tokay]

Children also have to be taught to ride a bike.

Really, unless they are beating the elephants I don't see any problems with teaching them how to do things. If they pushed them just a little harder, the elephants could probably steal a few jobs from the Thais. ;-)

[apollo13]

Shock Horror.

Elephant walking 4 metres on 2 cables, turning around and then walking back.

On other shows I have seen such horrors as:

- Elephant riding a bicycle

- Elephant walking across 2 prone tourists

- Elephant dancing to disco music

- Elephant eating bananas

- Elephants being ridden by humans

- Elephant demonstrating how they used to help loggers in the past

Get a grip for heaven's sake.

It's not as if they are being flayed alive. The animals look healthy at these places. This is just liberal clap-trap from the UK.

Nothing wrong with these places at all.

The only way you're going to get an elephant to perform circus tricks is to make the elephant aware of the consequences if it disobeys, and those consequences are very painful for the animal and commonly involve electrocution , beating and the use of bullhooks. Politely asking an elephant to ride a bicycle just doesn't work. Obviously, all of the training goes on behind the scenes, it's not something the owners want the public to be aware of. Try "cruelty elephant training' on google videos and see if you still think it's 'liberalist claptrap' after you've heard an elephant scream in pain.

[chivo]

to those who replied with questions of "why is it so bad? its just a trained trick..."

why don't you think before asking...

not very pleasant for the elephant.

this animal training is practice where you mess up, you fall to the ground, you mess up, you get smacked with a whip, you mess up again, you get clubbed in the head with a clawed hammer ( i have seen an a**hole mahout in ayuthaya do this) s you make another painful mistake, followed by a few more, and then yes you may soon learn to do the trick, but after all that pain and terror...

i plan to boycott and spread the word for sure,

i see there is an email address on their website. but i doubt they would answer any queries: they're too busy beating animals for money....

id post the address here but i am guessing there is some forum rule...

[jayjay0]

to those who replied with questions of "why is it so bad? its just a trained trick..."

why don't you think before asking...

not very pleasant for the elephant.

this animal training is practice where you mess up, you fall to the ground, you mess up, you get smacked with a whip, you mess up again, you get clubbed in the head with a clawed hammer ( i have seen an a**hole mahout in ayuthaya do this) s you make another painful mistake, followed by a few more, and then yes you may soon learn to do the trick, but after all that pain and terror...

i plan to boycott and spread the word for sure,

i see there is an email address on their website. but i doubt they would answer any queries: they're too busy beating animals for money....

id post the address here but i am guessing there is some forum rule...

What you say may be true but the article in no way mentioned it. They tried to make it seem cruel to do the trick. If what you say is true you might want to try to get the author to retract his article and replace it with some facts. Also the facts should include what would happen to the elephants if they did not learn tricks. Facts not what others should do.

Reminds me of back home people making a big issue of abortion trying to shove there believes on others make the government stop it. Yet maybe %2 of them will do any thing to help the unwanted babies. The rest weeeeeeeeeeelllllllllll

[99BigLad99]

more Mail reporters with nothing else to report what a shame they dont report on the floods up North where people are dieing in the recent floods and elephants are used to help those stranded where cars and trucks cant get through

Edited November 4, 2010 by 99BigLad99

[PNGinBKK]

I would rather spend that money and donate it to an Elephant rescue center if there is one.

Try here :

Elephantstay Not for Profit

Retiring Old Elephants

http://www.elephantstay.com

sorry for the ad