Thai Elephants
Sep 19th, 2017 | 04:55 PM
#61
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,277
Likes: 0
One of the main problems with elephants and other keystone species is that if the public see a lot of them apparently "doing well" in one place the conclusion is that "all is right in the world".
This overlooks the main issue which is that animals - whatever the species - need to exist in a working, viable eco-system. It isn't just keeping these animals alive that is important, it is maintaining the eco-systems that support them...and in the end, us.....They are sources of clean water, climate control, flood control etc etc.....destroying them and keeping a few of the main species as "pictures in a gallery" is not conservation nor does it help the species or the planet.
so many animal entertainment venues, however "green" they claim to be are ultimately damaging to the big picture.
Thailand has a population of about 65 million - about the same as the UK - but it is geographically twice the size. In reality there is a lot of space still left in Thailand that is either "virgin" forest or suitable for maintenance as viable eco-systems. For instance a survey about 8 years ago found that there is potentially enough space for a population of 2000 (two thousand) tigers. such eco-systems include of course wild elephant.
There is also space for captive elephants to live out their lives in spaces where they can behave as near as possible to the way they would exist in the wild.
There is money - both government and international - to support projects like this, but as yet there is not the will or understanding especially amongst the rulers in Thailand.
As the lack of regulation and enforcement concerning wildlife continues it allows people however well-meaning to set up elephant attractions and the like which has the effect of splitting up natural groupings of elephants and concentrating them into small areas where they can easily be viewed by paying tourists.
This is in the long run detrimental to the future survival of elephants in the wild and as profits grow, will only increase numbers in captivity and the need to increase those numbers then fuelling in the illegal trading and smuggling of these animals.
This overlooks the main issue which is that animals - whatever the species - need to exist in a working, viable eco-system. It isn't just keeping these animals alive that is important, it is maintaining the eco-systems that support them...and in the end, us.....They are sources of clean water, climate control, flood control etc etc.....destroying them and keeping a few of the main species as "pictures in a gallery" is not conservation nor does it help the species or the planet.
so many animal entertainment venues, however "green" they claim to be are ultimately damaging to the big picture.
Thailand has a population of about 65 million - about the same as the UK - but it is geographically twice the size. In reality there is a lot of space still left in Thailand that is either "virgin" forest or suitable for maintenance as viable eco-systems. For instance a survey about 8 years ago found that there is potentially enough space for a population of 2000 (two thousand) tigers. such eco-systems include of course wild elephant.
There is also space for captive elephants to live out their lives in spaces where they can behave as near as possible to the way they would exist in the wild.
There is money - both government and international - to support projects like this, but as yet there is not the will or understanding especially amongst the rulers in Thailand.
As the lack of regulation and enforcement concerning wildlife continues it allows people however well-meaning to set up elephant attractions and the like which has the effect of splitting up natural groupings of elephants and concentrating them into small areas where they can easily be viewed by paying tourists.
This is in the long run detrimental to the future survival of elephants in the wild and as profits grow, will only increase numbers in captivity and the need to increase those numbers then fuelling in the illegal trading and smuggling of these animals.
Sep 19th, 2017 | 11:09 PM
#63
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,277
Likes: 0
Elephants smuggling - effects
In order for the smuggling to stop, there has to be no market; no market means tourists won't come to see those elephants.
The Thai government is in the process of registering all elephants in the hope of building up a true picture for where they all come from...this means any elephants that are smuggled into the country will be identifiable.... so long as someone bothers to check.
One of the more despicable aspects of elephant smuggling is how the animals are caught. Basically a baby elephant is the target - they are cute a guaranteed to bring in the crowds and they fetch big money for those who want to show elephants.
To get these babies it is easiest to kill the mother.... but that isn't enough as the herd cooperates in looking after young - so poachers will kill an entire elephant family to get at the babies. If this isn't traumatic enough the babies then have to be "broken" in the infamous crush - a system for pacifying elephants that takes day or weeks of agony and torture.
Of course their are side benefits from killing these elephants as some may have ivory tusks that can be sold too as well as other elephant parts that can be sold as TCM or souvenirs.
When you see elephants in captivity, you are looking at a huge animals that has been broken by the infliction of fear and violence...guided by a hook on a stick - the bullhook or goad ... http://www.animalliberationfront.com...s-GoodBad5.jpg
Don’t be mislead by anthropomorphic behaviours - they aren't real elephant behaviour - they are designed to get you to attribute human characteristics onto the creature performing for you - "I can see they're well looked after and happy" is often just the sign of someone taken in.
When you go to see elephants no matter what the owners tell you, you can NEVER be 100% sure how those elephants came to be there
In order for the smuggling to stop, there has to be no market; no market means tourists won't come to see those elephants.
The Thai government is in the process of registering all elephants in the hope of building up a true picture for where they all come from...this means any elephants that are smuggled into the country will be identifiable.... so long as someone bothers to check.
One of the more despicable aspects of elephant smuggling is how the animals are caught. Basically a baby elephant is the target - they are cute a guaranteed to bring in the crowds and they fetch big money for those who want to show elephants.
To get these babies it is easiest to kill the mother.... but that isn't enough as the herd cooperates in looking after young - so poachers will kill an entire elephant family to get at the babies. If this isn't traumatic enough the babies then have to be "broken" in the infamous crush - a system for pacifying elephants that takes day or weeks of agony and torture.
Of course their are side benefits from killing these elephants as some may have ivory tusks that can be sold too as well as other elephant parts that can be sold as TCM or souvenirs.
When you see elephants in captivity, you are looking at a huge animals that has been broken by the infliction of fear and violence...guided by a hook on a stick - the bullhook or goad ... http://www.animalliberationfront.com...s-GoodBad5.jpg
Don’t be mislead by anthropomorphic behaviours - they aren't real elephant behaviour - they are designed to get you to attribute human characteristics onto the creature performing for you - "I can see they're well looked after and happy" is often just the sign of someone taken in.
When you go to see elephants no matter what the owners tell you, you can NEVER be 100% sure how those elephants came to be there
