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Travel industry leaders condemn elephant commercialisation

4 Apr 2016

For years, one of the biggest draw card to the safari experience is the opportunity to interact with elephants through petting and elephant rides. While this has been drawing the crowds the cruelty associated with this practice is condemned by leaders in nature and wildlife industries, with over 100 travel companies committing to end the sale of elephant rides and shows, including the team at Mabula Game Lodge.

kolibri5 via pixabay

According to Mabula Game Lodge reserve manager, Ryno Erasmus, "the core essence of a safari experience is captured in admiring the animals in their natural state, interacting with each other while roaming freely. Although animals in a game reserve are monitored and placed in certain areas of the reserve it is important to ensure they are in a happy and healthy environment conducive to their longevity".

The practice of training animals for commercial purposes is fast becoming a trend which is crippling the magic of an authentic safari experience. During the training process animals are subjected to extensive abuse and fear, withholding basic necessities including food and water to ensure these beautiful creatures oblige. While some of the animals are converted into absolute showpieces, others are often unable to meet the expectations of the training resulting in a number of animals being euthanized.

These animals cannot be released into the wild as they are trained to live under dire circumstances and do not have any natural instinct for survival in the wild. Moreover, animals that are trained and held captive have a very high mortality rate highlighting the cruelty and dangers of this process.