Thik Kaliyann and Alessandro Marazzi Sassoon

A female elephant named Sambo, trained to carry tourists at Angkor Wat, collapsed and died on Friday morning near Bakheng Mountain in the archaeological park.

The 40-to-45-year-old elephant had worked for the Angkor Elephant Company since 2001, according to manager Oan Kiri, who said the company was saddened by the loss.

According to Kiri, Sambo died after taking two trips from Bayon Temple to Bakheng, having walked about 40 minutes, collapsing shortly after bringing a pair of tourists to Bayon.

read more http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/tourist-elephant-dies-after-collapse-angkor

Riding these magnificent beasts should be banned. Terrible thing to do.

"A female elephant named Sambo"

what a lovely name. Wonder how the name translates into English.

It really is time to end the elephant rides in my opinion.

.....and they blame the tourists...not the abusers....the profiteers.....

Sad. Such a wonderful animal.

"A female elephant named Sambo"

what a lovely name. Wonder how the name translates into English.

Was it a blaxk southern elephant ?

People 'riding' each other from the beginning of time.

So an elefant of five-six tons could not carry two or three humans,

unless they are elefants themselves!?

People 'riding' each other from the beginning of time.

So an elefant of five-six tons could not carry two or three humans,

unless they are elefants themselves!?

Lots of info on the internet about the problems with elephant rides. Many tour agencies are taking rides off their agendas. It's about how they are broken so they can be ridden. Called the Crush. Also, something I just found out, elephants have weak backs. So riding them really hurts them.

Time for this inhumane practice to end.

Seems they are doing something about this. Great!!

http://www.ttrweekly.com/site/2016/04/angkor-elephants-win-small-reprieve/

PHNOM PENH, 27 April 2016: A Cambodian tour operator said, Tuesday, it would reduce work hours for elephants during high temperatures following the collapse and death of one of its elephants which had been ferrying tourists in 40C heat.

In response, a petition on Change.org called on Cambodian authorities to end elephant rides at Angkor. It had garnered 24,500 signatures by Tuesday afternoon.

“There is no such thing as cruelty-free elephant rides,” it stated in the petition.