Elephant Trekking in Phuket

03:04 Boomerang
In former times wild elephants roamed Phuket Island but as tin mining and rubber plantations changed the natural environment elephants slowly disappeared. As recently as three years ago the only elephants to be found on Phuket were at tourist attractions like the 'Thai Village' or the 'Crocodile Farm'

In late 1994, 'Siam Safari Nature Tours' pioneered the concept offering visitors to the island an opportunity to ride on an elephant on their property in the hill overlooking Chalong Bay. Regulated and controlled properly 'elephant trekking' can offer a much-needed lift to the tourism industry, and generate the funds to assure the survival of thousands of elephants in a dignified manner. Unfortunately, the opposite is equally possible in the current uncontrolled rush to 'cash in' on this latest business opportunity. As the number of new elephant camps increase so do the reports of overworked and abused elephants. Informed vesetors who demand humane treatment for the elephants may be the last best chance to save many of these majestic creatures.

The unpleasant reallity is the natural habitat of the Asian Elephant has diminished to the point that only an estimated 2,000 survive in the wild. A number not generally bellieved large enough to maintain the essential genetic-diversity to ensure the survival of the species in the wild. Traditionally domesticated elephants were used as transport, and in the logging industry moving cut timber.

All logging was officially banned in Thailand in 1989. Elephants that had been employed to move logs in the forest became unemployed, that is why they can now be seen in Bangkok and tourist areas literally 'begging' for a living. It costs approximately US$500 per month to feed and care for an elephant in captivity. In the modern world elephants have an almost human-like problem of needing to be gainfully employed in order to survive. With the survial of these majestic and highly intelligent creatures increasingly in doubt. It is more important than ever for visitors to understand they have the power to make a positived difference. Informed visitors to Thailand can support the humane treatment of these gracious beasts by carefully selecting the elephant camp they visit.



As with any hight growth industry 'elephant trekking' is subject to abuse.
1. Avoid elephant operations that allow the Mahouts (elephant keeper) to use the dreaded metal hook to control the animal. This device is cruel and unnecessary for a well trained and happy elephant, but are legal in Thailand and are frequently used.

2. The dawn to dusk regime of many elephant camps is unhealthy for the animals. Adult elephants need to graze for 8 to 10 hours a day. Elephants are forest animals and do not like being in the direct sunlight. Avoid camps that have the animals staked outside in the sun all day.

3. Elephants are nervous around automobiles, and loud noises, and they do not eat properly when in this type of environment. Many of the roadside elephant camps are offering little more than a 'photo opportunity' of you while riding atop an elephant, before it plods slowly down a well worn path for your ten minute elephant trek. If it looks like a fly-by-night operation it probably is one. Avoid the elephant camps that appear to have just opened yesterday.

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