Petaluma, CA – The world’s first responsible travel tour operator, Intrepid Travel is leading the way in animal protection in the tourism industry and is encouraging travelers to take action to become animal-friendly tourists.

The Australia-based adventure travel company ended elephant rides and visits to entertainment venues on all of its trips earlier this year, following an extensive three year research process to assess the welfare of captive elephants at entertainment venues in Asia.

The research was conducted by the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) with the support of Intrepid Travel, who have worked with the animal charity since 2000.

Asian elephants are highly endangered and tourism demand has led to venues where elephants are forced to do unnatural performances. The research concludes that this causes pain and suffering to the elephants, and that the tourism industry has added to the number of elephants being poached from the wild.

Continued:

http://www.adventuretravelnews.com/intrepid-travel-first-to-end-elephant-rides

Excellent. Full marks to Intrepid Travel.

That's a great first step. Cheers to Intrepid Travel.

They just published their reasons for this. Congrats to Intrepid Travel.

http://www.intrepidtravel.com/adventures/why-not-ride-elephants/

Although slightly off topic and not in the news section (I would have submitted it to an email had there been an option), I thought it would be an interesting read, especially for those idiots who see no wrong in the practice going on to capture the calves.

Cruel trade in Asian elephants threatens survival - report

Wild elephants are being held in horrific conditions in Myanmar by smugglers looking to resume a lucrative trade, a report says.

It claims the animals, mainly calves, are being brutally treated as they are "tamed" for tourist camps in Thailand.

Campaigners Traffic fear a resurgence in smuggling could seriously threaten the elephant's survival in Myanmar, also known as Burma.

They are calling on the Thai government to urgently tighten trafficking laws.

The study compiled by the wildlife monitoring network says that up to 81 live elephants were illegally captured for sale into the Thai tourist industry between 2011 and 2013.

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-28161472

Hopefully the NCOP will want to give their attention to the well-being of wildlife in Thailand, and the corruption and general greed that affects it. They do seem to be quite serious about tidying up Phuket's beaches and perhaps this concern will extend to all aspects of nature in Thailand.

So, this being Thailand, what do you think will happen to elephants when no more money is forthcoming from tourists to see them?

So, this being Thailand, what do you think will happen to elephants when no more money is forthcoming from tourists to see them?

The ones being abused in various elephant camps around the country are already in dire straights. If these camps are closed, or at least not allowed to bring in more elephants illegally, the few remaining in the wild will have a much better chance of survival. Right?

Any way you look at it, these magnificent beasts are in grave danger of extinction. The illegal ivory trade here doesn't help much either.

So, this being Thailand, what do you think will happen to elephants when no more money is forthcoming from tourists to see them?

The ones being abused in various elephant camps around the country are already in dire straights. If these camps are closed, or at least not allowed to bring in more elephants illegally, the few remaining in the wild will have a much better chance of survival. Right?

Any way you look at it, these magnificent beasts are in grave danger of extinction. The illegal ivory trade here doesn't help much either.

I am not really an activist by nature, but maybe this is of some interest:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/hours_to_save_elephants/?tEdCUdb