A wild animal is a being that humans often capture in their natural habitat and use to feed their greed. It would be different if they are hunted as food in order to survive but in most cases, they capture the animal for free and proceed to request a large amount to sell them making it a very profitable business. In some countries, you can also find wild animals as a tourist attraction as well. Whereas, in some other countries, they are an essential part of unique sports activities.

From horses to bulls, humans have learned to commercialize the use of each of these animals and have taken their freedom away for the monetary benefit that a human gets from an animal.

The Sad State of Elephants

Sadly, elephants are one of the wild animals that humans often capitalize on. India and Thailand are two countries where there is extensive use of Elephants for different commercial purposes. These elephants are a part of various festivals or tourist attractions, because of which the owners become able to make money.

Unfortunately, these captors have zero consideration for the physical and mental torture the elephants go through. In fact, according to different documentaries, physical pain plays a critical role in captivating an elephant.

Keeping the elephant in isolation, starving them, confining them to a chain, and hitting them in sensitive areas, such as the back of their ears are some of the most common ways of torturing an elephant. This torture helps in taming the elephant by making them feel miserable and crushing their will to survive.

Once an elephant’s will is crushed, the captor can make the elephant perform whatever activity they want. It is after such horrendous treatment; we see an elephant ready to play football, carry tourists, or work in a circus.

In India, elephants are often found to be a part of different festivals, too. The country hosts various festivals throughout the year, and each time, there are hundreds of elephants that we can find performing different activities. These elephants are trained over extended periods and in cruel circumstances. It exhausts the animal to the core, which is something one can easily read and feel when looking at them, especially when you watch them eye to eye.

Elephants’ survival during COVID

Due to the spread of COVID-19, every festival and tourist activity has come to a halt. People throughout the world including India and Thailand are locked inside their homes, and because of this, these elephants are also able to get the relaxation and peace that they truly deserve.

Regrettably, in many areas, these animals are still confined to their cages. However, even then, it is better than the physical exertion that they go through on a daily basis otherwise. This time off from the world is allowing these animals to heal themselves, and reduce the overall physical and mental stress they have been suffering from for such a long time.

Many captors have decided to release these beasts in the open, as they believe that the tourism industry will open after a significant time period, and they require an alternative in order to feed their families. It has become difficult for people to feed the elephants without being able to make money off of them.

Final Thoughts

Even during these difficult times, we are still able to do something from our homes. If people have time to be enraged over superficial things like what celebrities do or say I think they have time to be enraged over real-life problems as well like animal abuse. But unfortunately, these real-life problems are being covered up or buried in the media so much that you will rarely see an objective article about these topics. Helps us spread the message to stop animal abuse.

Join us by signing these petitions:

Stop Elephant Abuse in Elephant Riding Attractions In Thailand https://www.change.org/p/tourism-authority-of-thailand-stop-elephant-abuse-through-elephant-riding-attractions

End the Cruel Treatment of Elephants in India https://www.change.org/p/help-us-save-the-asian-elephants-by-liking-and-sharing-this-post-savetheasianelephants

Temple Elephants in India and Sri Lanka are kept in Chains, Beaten, Starved, and Tortured https://www.change.org/p/animal-welfare-groups-temple-elephants-in-india-and-sri-lanka-kept-in-chains-beaten-starved-and-tortured

Stop allowing the torture and burning of elephants https://www.change.org/p/president-ram-nath-kovind-stop-allowing-the-torture-and-burning-of-elephants

.

Source

One Green Planet. April 2020. Elephants in India Rejoice During COVID-19 Lockdown. https://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/elephants-in-india-rejoice-during-covid-19-lockdown/