The Friends of the Wildlife Foundation of Thailand (WFFT) has shocked social media users with a photo of an elephant that sparked a debate about animal rights in Southeast Asia.
The photo shows a 71-year-old female elephant named Pai Linya, who spent most of her life with people on her back.
“Did you know that elephant riding causes physical harm to these gentle giants?” a signed picture posted on Instagram.
The source adds that the daily weight of the animal’s body was disfigured and experienced irreversible changes.
“Pai Lini’s spine, which should be rounded and elevated, has sagged and bowed due to the heavy weight of constant work. Daily pressure on the back can damage the tissues and bones of the back, causing irreversible physical injury,” representatives of the foundation clarified in their account.
WFFT CEO and Founder Tom Taylor ruled out human transport for elephants: “Despite their size, the structure of their backbone does not allow them to carry such burdens.”
In the comments, users support the representatives of the fund, and one of them expressed the following position:
“We humans think we are superior to animals, but we have absolutely no right to do so! The government should ban (elephant riding) and give animals a good life! We need to find new sustainable solutions for the income of the population,” the commentator wrote.
WFFT also shared a photo of another tourist victim: Boon Chui, the elephant they rescued after 10 years of suffering.
The source adds that elephant riding is a very popular tourist attraction. Giants spend their entire lives under a cast-iron seat that hurts their backs and scars them.
“It is important to understand that elephants, unlike horses, are not bred to be ridden. They are not domesticated, taken from the wild, and kept in terrible conditions,” added WFFT director Edwin Wick.
According to Vick, the Wildlife Friends Foundation in Thailand wants to draw attention to the mistreatment of elephants to make every animal happy.