Danish tour operator halts 11 out of 17 elephant tours
BY LASSE HENRIKSENAT

Photo: BrokenSphere @ WikiCommons

BANGKOK: -- Danish tour operator Apollo stops 11 out of 17 elephant tours in Thailand and India with immediate effect. The sudden halt is the result of Apollo’s cooperation with two animal welfare NGO’s.

Exotic elephant treks are not the only thing Apollo is taking off the program, animal parks without focus on rehabilitation of animals that are reintroduced to nature are also being taken off the program.

“You can say what you want, for now, we have taken a small step in the right direction, but we aim to take a giant leap. In the future we will not collaborate with suppliers who do not make sure that the animals have optimal conditions. Unfortunately the initiative cannot be implemented in a day or two, but we hope to be 100% in goal in 2015,” Glenn Bisgaard, Head of Communication in Apollo says in a press release.

This announcement comes shortly after the welfare of the elephants on the popular elephant treks in Thailand have been debated in the Danish media. Apollo has created a new Code of Conduct in collaboration with World Animal Protection and CITES. In the press release Apollo states that the elephant tours are just the beginning and that all of their tours involving animals will be investigated further in 2015.

--ScandAsia .Com 2014-12-12

That's a good start. Get rid of this outlandish, ancient practice, and take pride in the last elephants left - give them protection and freedom.

"... we will not collaborate with suppliers who do not make sure that the animals have optimal conditions."

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." – Mohandas K. Gandhi

Bravo. A good start. Don't want to hear how this might cut down on tourism. If this is the only draw for tourists, then the destination country isn't worth visiting.

That's a good start. Get rid of this outlandish, ancient practice, and take pride in the last elephants left - give them protection and freedom.

Riding Elephants are terrible I agree now lets close down the sex tourist and their bars

good. to bad that this had to be an issue in the press before they did it.

Would have looked much better, if they did this on their own.

However, still a step in the right direction i guess

Great news. They're not the first travel agency to do this.

Thats great to hear,

So, many eliphants and their drivers/caretakers are out of a job now. What is the ivory price at the moment?

For centuries Asia has been using elephants that have been domesticated and used in the logging and other industries, this form of labour has been steadily replaced by automation, when this happens the income of the elephant owners slowly diminishes, alternative income must be sought, as one cannot return the animals to the wild because they have been domesticated and cannot fend for themselves. One of the alternatives is tourism; by cutting down support we are actually doing more damage to the domesticated elephants than good.

I firmly believe that if the elephant tourist industry is affected by bans, many will be effected people, families, including the elephants. This trade should be allowed to continue under close supervision of the responsible government agencies. However, replacement elephants should not be allowed, which will slowly diminish this popular industry.

What next, stop people from riding horses? Cruelty to animal is one thing, using animals with respect is another. We also kill and eat animals but this to can be done in a way that lessons cruelty. Groups like Peta believe it is cruel to even own a pet ... some things just go to far. We are the top of the food chain and generally we strive to be less savage to animals than they are to each other. If we get to the point of true equality with animals and fish as some people want and as many are pushing for but don't even realize this is where they are headed by constantly upping what is fair to animals then once this is accomplished we'll move to equality with plant life and demand all our food come from synthetic food and if we can't cure a disease without animal testing then we'll just have to accept that disease will not be cured.

Sorry but IMO there is nothing wrong with riding an elephant as long as the animal is properly cared for which means it is at much less risk of death, disease and harm than in the wild.

That's a good start. Get rid of this outlandish, ancient practice, and take pride in the last elephants left - give them protection and freedom.

Riding Elephants are terrible I agree now lets close down the sex tourist and their bars

harryfrompattaya, what will become of your town if they do that?

How do you close down the sex tourists who have made Pattaya what it is today?

What next, stop people from riding horses? Cruelty to animal is one thing, using animals with respect is another. We also kill and eat animals but this to can be done in a way that lessons cruelty. Groups like Peta believe it is cruel to even own a pet ... some things just go to far. We are the top of the food chain and generally we strive to be less savage to animals than they are to each other. If we get to the point of true equality with animals and fish as some people want and as many are pushing for but don't even realize this is where they are headed by constantly upping what is fair to animals then once this is accomplished we'll move to equality with plant life and demand all our food come from synthetic food and if we can't cure a disease without animal testing then we'll just have to accept that disease will not be cured.

Sorry but IMO there is nothing wrong with riding an elephant as long as the animal is properly cared for which means it is at much less risk of death, disease and harm than in the wild.

Once you've seen the videos showing how baby elephants are domesticated, you'll change your mind about riding them. Plus, the babies are taken from the wild and their mothers killed. This practice is decimating the wild elephant population. All this is done so tourists can ride them. And potentially get hurt or killed in the process.

We've got a place nearby that does elephant rides. The magnificent beasts are chained to trees until somebody shows up to ride them. Then poked and jabbed with a metal hook to walk around. Not a good way to treat animals, IMHO.

What next, stop people from riding horses? Cruelty to animal is one thing, using animals with respect is another. We also kill and eat animals but this to can be done in a way that lessons cruelty. Groups like Peta believe it is cruel to even own a pet ... some things just go to far. We are the top of the food chain and generally we strive to be less savage to animals than they are to each other. If we get to the point of true equality with animals and fish as some people want and as many are pushing for but don't even realize this is where they are headed by constantly upping what is fair to animals then once this is accomplished we'll move to equality with plant life and demand all our food come from synthetic food and if we can't cure a disease without animal testing then we'll just have to accept that disease will not be cured.

Sorry but IMO there is nothing wrong with riding an elephant as long as the animal is properly cared for which means it is at much less risk of death, disease and harm than in the wild.

Once you've seen the videos showing how baby elephants are domesticated, you'll change your mind about riding them. Plus, the babies are taken from the wild and their mothers killed. This practice is decimating the wild elephant population. All this is done so tourists can ride them. And potentially get hurt or killed in the process.

We've got a place nearby that does elephant rides. The magnificent beasts are chained to trees until somebody shows up to ride them. Then poked and jabbed with a metal hook to walk around. Not a good way to treat animals, IMHO.

Re-read my post. I have seen many videos of people and animals being tortured for various reasons, certainly wasn't advocating such behavior and was clear am against it. Cruelty and torture is not the only way to domesticate an Elephant. Elephants have been tamed and used by people for thousands of years and their intelligence lends very easy to their not needing to be abused to be used to benefit people.

I agree with

craigt3365

Just because an animal is "big" doesn't mean they're made for humans to ride around on or exploit.

http://expertvagabond.com/elephants-in-thailand/

http://journals.worldnomads.com/responsible-travel/story/81053/Thailand/Why-Elephant-Riding-Should-Be-Removed-from-Your-Bucket-List

http://right-tourism.com/issues/beasts-of-burden/elephant-trekking/

Just a few sites to read to NOT support the thought that it's "OK" to ride an elephant...

Take a look at the way elite Thais treat everyday ordinary Thais and housekeepers, chauffeurs, groundskeepers..etc. , and you can use your imagination to project the way that Thais treat their elephants.

Take a look at the way elite Thais treat everyday ordinary Thais and housekeepers, chauffeurs, groundskeepers..etc. , and you can use your imagination to project the way that Thais treat their elephants.

Unfortunately it's well documented how Thai mahouts treat their elephants. We don't have to project.

So, many eliphants and their drivers/caretakers are out of a job now. What is the ivory price at the moment?

Who gives a ma hout?

Once again JTJ proves his ignorance. Not only is the breaking-in procedure appalling, elephants have relatively weak spines for their size. It's one thing to have a mahout sitting on its neck but a couple of 100+ kilo tourists sitting on a wooden bench in the middle of their backs does a lot of damage.

What next, stop people from riding horses? Cruelty to animal is one thing, using animals with respect is another. We also kill and eat animals but this to can be done in a way that lessons cruelty. Groups like Peta believe it is cruel to even own a pet ... some things just go to far. We are the top of the food chain and generally we strive to be less savage to animals than they are to each other. If we get to the point of true equality with animals and fish as some people want and as many are pushing for but don't even realize this is where they are headed by constantly upping what is fair to animals then once this is accomplished we'll move to equality with plant life and demand all our food come from synthetic food and if we can't cure a disease without animal testing then we'll just have to accept that disease will not be cured.

Sorry but IMO there is nothing wrong with riding an elephant as long as the animal is properly cared for which means it is at much less risk of death, disease and harm than in the wild.

Once you've seen the videos showing how baby elephants are domesticated, you'll change your mind about riding them. Plus, the babies are taken from the wild and their mothers killed. This practice is decimating the wild elephant population. All this is done so tourists can ride them. And potentially get hurt or killed in the process.

We've got a place nearby that does elephant rides. The magnificent beasts are chained to trees until somebody shows up to ride them. Then poked and jabbed with a metal hook to walk around. Not a good way to treat animals, IMHO.

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/baby-elephants-captured-mistreated-to-supply-thailands-tourism-industry-20140708-zt0xw.html

Once again JTJ proves his ignorance. Not only is the breaking-in procedure appalling, elephants have relatively weak spines for their size. It's one thing to have a mahout sitting on its neck but a couple of 100+ kilo tourists sitting on a wooden bench in the middle of their backs does a lot of damage.

In brute strength, elephants are the strongest mammals and the strongest land animals. African elephants can weigh up to 6,350kg and they can carry up to 9,000kg, the weight of 130 adult humans.

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&rlz=1C1CHFX_enUS582US582&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#safe=off&q=how%20much%20weight%20can%20an%20elephant%20carry

What next, stop people from riding horses? Cruelty to animal is one thing, using animals with respect is another. We also kill and eat animals but this to can be done in a way that lessons cruelty. Groups like Peta believe it is cruel to even own a pet ... some things just go to far. We are the top of the food chain and generally we strive to be less savage to animals than they are to each other. If we get to the point of true equality with animals and fish as some people want and as many are pushing for but don't even realize this is where they are headed by constantly upping what is fair to animals then once this is accomplished we'll move to equality with plant life and demand all our food come from synthetic food and if we can't cure a disease without animal testing then we'll just have to accept that disease will not be cured.

Sorry but IMO there is nothing wrong with riding an elephant as long as the animal is properly cared for which means it is at much less risk of death, disease and harm than in the wild.

Once you've seen the videos showing how baby elephants are domesticated, you'll change your mind about riding them. Plus, the babies are taken from the wild and their mothers killed. This practice is decimating the wild elephant population. All this is done so tourists can ride them. And potentially get hurt or killed in the process.

We've got a place nearby that does elephant rides. The magnificent beasts are chained to trees until somebody shows up to ride them. Then poked and jabbed with a metal hook to walk around. Not a good way to treat animals, IMHO.

Re-read my post. I have seen many videos of people and animals being tortured for various reasons, certainly wasn't advocating such behavior and was clear am against it. Cruelty and torture is not the only way to domesticate an Elephant. Elephants have been tamed and used by people for thousands of years and their intelligence lends very easy to their not needing to be abused to be used to benefit people.

Thousands of years ago there were millions of elephants, before man got on their backs.

You seem to be missing one major factor: Elephants are an endangered species, worldwide, especially the Asian elephant. So why would you condone elephants being held in captivity, for use as tourist attractions, when in fact they should be monitored and encouraged to breed in the wild? It's got nothing to do, when it boils down to it, about your sudden introduction of the word 'abuse', but more your idea that elephant rides offer 'benefits' to people.

If there were still millions of elephants, fine, same as horses - enjoy your ride; except for one matter of fact - horses are still bred in captivity and they also roam free in the wild. The free elephants roaming are being slaughtered still, or taken to captivity for financial benefits.

I'd sure like to see a Dodo walk past my house... wouldn't you? In Thailand, a thousand years ago, bet you a thousand squid, you'd have seen elephants walk by your house.

Tamed.... define please.

Many people are often cruel to animals including dogs when training out of ignorance but abusing an animal, especially hitting an elephant, makes training much more difficult and longer. Just like training a dog or even a child their needs to be rewards and punishments .. their certainly doesn't need to be cruelty but just like with parents or guardians, some so called trainers are ignorant and cruel and should be punished.

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Once again JTJ proves his ignorance. Not only is the breaking-in procedure appalling, elephants have relatively weak spines for their size. It's one thing to have a mahout sitting on its neck but a couple of 100+ kilo tourists sitting on a wooden bench in the middle of their backs does a lot of damage.

In brute strength, elephants are the strongest mammals and the strongest land animals. African elephants can weigh up to 6,350kg and they can carry up to 9,000kg, the weight of 130 adult humans.

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&rlz=1C1CHFX_enUS582US582&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#safe=off&q=how%20much%20weight%20can%20an%20elephant%20carry

JTJ did you not take the time to read the 3 articles (with links) that I posted? Obviously not.

You are not "right". You will never be right on this subject. Look at the science dude and quit being a grumpy old man.

Many people are often cruel to animals including dogs when training out of ignorance but abusing an animal, especially hitting an elephant, makes training much more difficult and longer. Just like training a dog or even a child their needs to be rewards and punishments .. their certainly doesn't need to be cruelty but just like with parents or guardians, some so called trainers are ignorant and cruel and should be punished.

You don't get it. There is no reward with the Thai "training" of elephants. Don't try to drag other animal's treatment into this. The OP was about elephants and the elephants are suffering at the expense of Thais trying to make a buck.

What next, stop people from riding horses? Cruelty to animal is one thing, using animals with respect is another. We also kill and eat animals but this to can be done in a way that lessons cruelty. Groups like Peta believe it is cruel to even own a pet ... some things just go to far. We are the top of the food chain and generally we strive to be less savage to animals than they are to each other. If we get to the point of true equality with animals and fish as some people want and as many are pushing for but don't even realize this is where they are headed by constantly upping what is fair to animals then once this is accomplished we'll move to equality with plant life and demand all our food come from synthetic food and if we can't cure a disease without animal testing then we'll just have to accept that disease will not be cured.

Sorry but IMO there is nothing wrong with riding an elephant as long as the animal is properly cared for which means it is at much less risk of death, disease and harm than in the wild.

Once you've seen the videos showing how baby elephants are domesticated, you'll change your mind about riding them. Plus, the babies are taken from the wild and their mothers killed. This practice is decimating the wild elephant population. All this is done so tourists can ride them. And potentially get hurt or killed in the process.

We've got a place nearby that does elephant rides. The magnificent beasts are chained to trees until somebody shows up to ride them. Then poked and jabbed with a metal hook to walk around. Not a good way to treat animals, IMHO.

Re-read my post. I have seen many videos of people and animals being tortured for various reasons, certainly wasn't advocating such behavior and was clear am against it. Cruelty and torture is not the only way to domesticate an Elephant. Elephants have been tamed and used by people for thousands of years and their intelligence lends very easy to their not needing to be abused to be used to benefit people.

Thousands of years ago there were millions of elephants, before man got on their backs.

You seem to be missing one major factor: Elephants are an endangered species, worldwide, especially the Asian elephant. So why would you condone elephants being held in captivity, for use as tourist attractions, when in fact they should be monitored and encouraged to breed in the wild? It's got nothing to do, when it boils down to it, about your sudden introduction of the word 'abuse', but more your idea that elephant rides offer 'benefits' to people.

People riding Asian elephants has nothing to do with their being endangered. These huge animals are simply running out of space to live in the wild and sometimes killed illegally by poachers ... this is a different problem that needs to be addressed by having more protected wildlife areas. People have been riding elephants and using their tusks and keeping them in captivitiy for thousands of years but it is only recently has the decline been dramatic due to expansion of the human population over the land.

Many people are often cruel to animals including dogs when training out of ignorance but abusing an animal, especially hitting an elephant, makes training much more difficult and longer. Just like training a dog or even a child their needs to be rewards and punishments .. their certainly doesn't need to be cruelty but just like with parents or guardians, some so called trainers are ignorant and cruel and should be punished.

You don't get it. There is no reward with the Thai "training" of elephants. Don't try to drag other animal's treatment into this. The OP was about elephants and the elephants are suffering at the expense of Thais trying to make a buck.

As I clearly stated there is no reason for cruelty in training and those doing it should be punished ... but feel free to distract, distort or be obtuse.

Many people are often cruel to animals including dogs when training out of ignorance but abusing an animal, especially hitting an elephant, makes training much more difficult and longer. Just like training a dog or even a child their needs to be rewards and punishments .. their certainly doesn't need to be cruelty but just like with parents or guardians, some so called trainers are ignorant and cruel and should be punished.

You don't get it. There is no reward with the Thai "training" of elephants. Don't try to drag other animal's treatment into this. The OP was about elephants and the elephants are suffering at the expense of Thais trying to make a buck.

As I clearly stated there is no reason for cruelty in training and those doing it should be punished ... but feel free to distract, distort or be obtuse.

I have yet to see any credible reference to your position JTJ. Come on now... Thousands of years? Asian elephants? Give us a break.

The point is that the Asian elephants in Thailand are being tortured and exploited.

Go ride them for your bucket list and feel good about it. Nobody cares.

There are many out there that will see the truth and stop this madness.

You better hurry with that ride dude. It may not be available very much longer.

So it sounds like you're backing away from your original position. Whatever.

Your "clearly stated" comments are obtuse, distorted and distracting.

This has been commented on , but yes, it is sad to see that these tour operators didn't do this on their own convictions, they had to be shown and possibly told in no uncertain terms what they were into. Anyhow a good end result, if only all of the tour operators would take a stand , unfortunately money is the bigger attraction than caring about a few Elephants.

I did see someone mention Bargirls.... they are more stupid than elephants and allow all the abuse they take on a daily basis... But will Thai authorities ever stop this human abuse..? Not while money is being generated..!

I did see someone mention Bargirls.... they are more stupid than elephants and allow all the abuse they take on a daily basis... But will Thai authorities ever stop this human abuse..? Not while money is being generated..!

There's an awful lot of fancy elephant houses up on the plains of Isaan, they can't all be stupid.