Slurf's up and Funky Trunk! Dutch travel-agencies have put a ban on elephant rides...

Fifteen Dutch travel organisations announced cancelling elephant rides from their travelpackages or have already done so. The tours are replaced by visits to elephant welfare parks, reports WSPA animal welfare organization Saturday.

Travel company TUI (include Arkefly and KRAS) does not supply elephant rides since 2010. WSPA then went in consultation with other travel agencies. Oad will remove the elephant rides from the range by November 2013, Djoser Travel, Travel FOX, SNP Naturetravel and Stip Travel announced to stop offering them in 2014.

"The smaller organizations are not over yet, but the bigger ones are a good example, it is an important step," said a spokesman for the WSPA. "The rides are often described as the culmination of a journey and an unforgettable experience, but the latter is especially true for the elephant."

"Elephants used in the rides have been taken away as a child of the flock. The herd let young ones not to be taken away without a fight, so often the mother and aunts are shot dead."

"In order to prepare the animal for rides they are tortured" according to the organization. "They are hiding the wounds under all kinds of beautiful dress."

The organization estimates that every week two young elephants are kidnapped to be used for elephant rides.

*Link to Dutch News Article*

http://www.reisburoactueel.nl/djoser-en-stip-stoppen-met-aanbieden-olifantenritjes/