Elephant tourism: An analysis and recommendations for public health, safety, and animal welfare
-
Published:2023-08
Issue:
Volume:
Page:49-66
-
ISSN:2455-8931
-
Container-title:International Journal of One Health
-
language:en
-
Short-container-title:Int J One Health
Author:
Warwick Clifford1ORCID, Pilny Anthony2ORCID, Steedman Catrina1ORCID, Grant Rachel3ORCID
Affiliation:
1. Emergent Disease Foundation, London, WC2H 9JQ, UK. 2. Arizona Exotic Animal Hospital, Phoenix, Arizona, AZ 85024, USA. 3. Division of Human Sciences, London South Bank University, London SE1 0AA, UK.
Abstract
Background: Elephants are exploited for public entertainment tourism throughout Asia and Africa. Areas of concern include public health and safety and animal welfare.
Materials and Methods: We examined over 500 scientific publications with respect to our primary objectives, as well as non-peer-reviewed materials relating to other relevant subject matters (e.g., tourism promotional websites and YouTube films) for background purposes, although these additional materials were not included in this review.
Results: We identified at least 12 confirmed or potential zoonotic and other transmissible infections relevant to the elephant tourism sector, and at least 13 areas of animal welfare concern.
Conclusion: Infection and injury risks between humans and captive elephants cannot be safely controlled where close contact experiences are involved, arguably creating an unredeemable and indefensible public health and safety situation. Elephant welfare within some sectors of the close contact interactive tourism industry continues to involve significant mistreatment and abuse. To alleviate key One Health concerns outlined in this study, we recommend several types of regulation, monitoring, and control regarding interactions at the human-captive elephant interface. These include legal bans on the promotion and performance of close contact experiences, combined with strong enforcement protocols; new policies toward discouraging elephant tourism; 24/7 surveillance of captive elephants; and the adoption of independent scientific positive list systems for tourism promoters or providers regarding public observation of free-ranging elephants within national parks and protected areas.
Keywords: animal welfare, elephant tourism, One Health, public health, safety, zoonoses.
Publisher
Veterinary World
Subject
Infectious Diseases,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health,Health Policy,General Veterinary
Reference179 articles.
1. Bansiddhi, P., Nganvongpanit, K., Brown, J.L., Punyapornwithaya, V., Pongsopawijit, P. and Thitaram, C. (2019) Management factors affecting physical health and welfare of tourist camp elephants in Thailand. PeerJ, 7: e6756. 2. Naidoo, R., Fisher, B., Manica, A. and Balmford, A. (2016) Estimating economic losses to tourism in Africa from the illegal killing of elephants. Nat. Commun., 7(1): 13379. 3. Hart, L. and Sundar. (2000) Family traditions for mahouts of Asian elephants. Anthrozoös, 13(1): 34–42. 4. Bansiddhi, P., Brown, J.L., Thitaram, C., Punyapornwithaya, V. and Nganvongpanit, K. (2020) Elephant tourism in Thailand: A review of animal welfare practices and needs. J. Appl. Anim. Welf. Sci., 23(2): 164–177. 5. Crawley, J.A.H., Lahdenperä, M., Seltmann, M.W., Htut, W., Aung, H.H., Nyein, K. and Lummaa, V. (2019) Investigating changes within the handling system of the largest semi-captive population of Asian elephants. PLoS One, 14(1): e0209701.
|
|