Hundreds of Captive Elephants are Freed in Thailand

[Freighter]

https://www.sciencetimes.com/article...-heres-why.htm

Pang Premchuenpanawan, a keeper from the Karen Elephant Experience, and her team embarked on a journey to bring back the elephants to their home village because of coronavirus.

When the COVID-19 pandemic brought collapse to tourism all across Thailand, funding ceased and keepers no longer had the resources to maintain the welfare of their elephants. The keepers waited several months with hopes that the situation would get better and was soon faced with the reality that it would not.

Pang finally decided, with the help of some friends, that they needed to go home and bring their elephants with them on what would become the biggest elephant migration in Thailand's history.

The great migration included hundreds of elephants from different sites moving across 100 miles. The journey would be long and difficult, especially since one elephant is still young. One little guy is only 4 months old who still walks a little floppily.

After 3 or 4 days, the animals will finally reach the mountains of Chiang Mai province. In the villages, the keepers will grow food for the animals and their families and be united with other rescued elephants.

The elephants' response? Smiles and noises telling everyone that they are happy to go home.

I'm not really inclined to believe that they're going to live a good life after that. If they've been in captivity for so long, how will they adapt to a life where they're not fed by others?

[Unlimited Power]

I'm not really inclined to believe that they're going to live a good life after that. If they've been in captivity for so long, how will they adapt to a life where they're not fed by others?

Hard to say for sure, but elephants are some of the most intelligent animals around, so hopefully they'll be able to adapt. That said, the article specifically said that the keepers will grow food for them, so I doubt they're entirely left to their own devices.

[Afrospinach]

Hard to say for sure, but elephants are some of the most intelligent animals around, so hopefully they'll be able to adapt. That said, the article specifically said that the keepers will grow food for them, so I doubt they're entirely left to their own devices.

They also eat almost anything, they should be fine.

[Lynarii]

It really depends on how things are followed up afterwards. It seems like the plan is to continue to monitor and care for them, so it at least has a reasonable chance of ending well.

[Boricha]

I'm confused on how they are going to house and feed hundreds of elephants without funding.

[Ayirasi]

Sounds heaps better than being in an elephant farm.

[Elegiac]

https://www.sciencetimes.com/article...-heres-why.htm

Pang Premchuenpanawan, a keeper from the Karen Elephant Experience, and her team embarked on a journey to bring back the elephants to their home village because of coronavirus.

When the COVID-19 pandemic brought collapse to tourism all across Thailand, funding ceased and keepers no longer had the resources to maintain the welfare of their elephants. The keepers waited several months with hopes that the situation would get better and was soon faced with the reality that it would not.

Pang finally decided, with the help of some friends, that they needed to go home and bring their elephants with them on what would become the biggest elephant migration in Thailand's history.

The great migration included hundreds of elephants from different sites moving across 100 miles. The journey would be long and difficult, especially since one elephant is still young. One little guy is only 4 months old who still walks a little floppily.

After 3 or 4 days, the animals will finally reach the mountains of Chiang Mai province. In the villages, the keepers will grow food for the animals and their families and be united with other rescued elephants.

The elephants' response? Smiles and noises telling everyone that they are happy to go home.

I'm not really inclined to believe that they're going to live a good life after that. If they've been in captivity for so long, how will they adapt to a life where they're not fed by others?

Elephants are not domesticated creatures, for one, and as it's typically more cost effective to tame wild elephants rather than breed them in captivity chances are most of these elephants were caught in the wild to start with.

There's a difference between "tamed" and "domesticated". Very few animals fall into the latter category.

[Jonnusthegreat]

I mean, I definitely don't know enough to comment, but if this title were about cats and dogs being surrendered, I definitely would not be excited. The article doesn't mention what these animals do...

[Ayirasi]

I mean, I definitely don't know enough to comment, but if this title were about cats and dogs being surrendered, I definitely would not be excited. The article doesn't mention what these animals do...

Most are from elephant farms, where they perform assorted tricks for tourists, like play soccer, paint self-portraits, or take them for rides. When they're not performing, they're chained to logs so people can pay $1 to feed them bananas.

[callipygoustp]

I know whats for dinner tonight in Thailand.

[Queen of Hamsters]

Elephants are not domesticated, and they are highly intelligent. Also, the conditions in which they are kept by many of those using them for monetary gains amounts to nothing short of cruelty.

This is a very good thing, can't believe I'm seeing people behave as if it's akin to PETA releasing minks or someone giving up dogs to a shelter... These are Elephants, creatures intelligent enough to understand that they're held captive, memories of being free, their families that they were taken from. Baby Elephants seeing their family members slaughtered will carry those emotional scars for life.

Hopefully there won't be a rush to capture other Elephants once the tourism starts up again, seeing as how tourists continue sponsoring animal abuse decade after decade.

[Jonnusthegreat]

Most are from elephant farms, where they perform assorted tricks for tourists, like play soccer, paint self-portraits, or take them for rides. When they're not performing, they're chained to logs so people can pay $1 to feed them bananas.

Do you have evidence of this or is this just anecdotal experience?

[Ayirasi]

Do you have evidence of this or is this just anecdotal experience?

An aunt I don't much care for took me to one northwest of Chiang Mai.

[Jonnusthegreat]

An aunt I don't much care for took me to one northwest of Chiang Mai.

Alright, so I guess I'll continue to not care. I can find pictures of equally horrifying things from every country that bans animal cruelty. Shut that one place down, I guess? Poor elephants, taken from their homes.

[rayvio]

a modern day Hannibal and for a better cause. hopefully they stay free

[Yadryonych]

Nice clickbait title, bug it says elephants are being convoyed to the rural area rich with elephant food, not freed

[ParanoiD84]

Beats getting chained up and druged in those thai zoo's or whaever.

[Ayirasi]

Alright, so I guess I'll continue to not care. I can find pictures of equally horrifying things from every country that bans animal cruelty. Shut that one place down, I guess? Poor elephants, taken from their homes.

Yeah, it's admittedly harder to get worked up about Pele-phant and Picasso-phant when there are horrific photos and video of animals being burned / boiled alive because it "tastes better", or having assorted body parts farmed so someone can get a boner.

[Jonnusthegreat]

Yeah, it's admittedly harder to get worked up about Pele-phant and Picasso-phant when there are horrific photos and video of animals being burned / boiled alive because it "tastes better", or having assorted body parts farmed so someone can get a boner.

I'm not saying I'm worked up. I'm the OPPOSITE of worked up. Until there is actual evidence that this is a bad situation or systemic abuse, I feel SAD for these elephants that were SURRENDERED because their owners couldn't afford having them, just like every time I go to the animal shelter and I read the reason these dogs are there for the same exact reason.

[Rozz]

Good tbh. Rescues are the next best thing after conservation. A "certain documentary" makes me wonder where similar animals will go if more "private zoos" fold due to covid.