Coronavirus Closures of Asian Elephant Camps Offer Respite to Pursue Reforms

Scores of elephant tourism camps in Thailand have had to close as the coronavirus wipes out tourist numbers. While animal rights groups that lobby for their boycott may wish the demise is permanent, the health crisis is a golden opportunity to effect positive change in the controversial business, rather than be the last straw that breaks up an entire industry. So believes the Asian Captive Elephants Standards, a company that audits camps, It is is calling for large wildlife advocacy groups to support captive Asian elephant populations by partnering with smaller camps and by providing them with essential elephant welfare services and training. Another company, Animondial, which guides companies to make the right animal welfare decisions for their business, also sees an opportunity “to influence change in operations and animal care that will improve standards and offer different, more elephant-friendly activities,” said its director Daniel Turner. As reported in Skift’s Deep Dive, The Complicated Business of Saving Elephant Tourism, the world of Asian elephant tourism is wracked with jumbo divisions. Animal rights groups wants to stop the sale of elephant rides and other forms of touching due to cruelty. But vets and other experts who work with the Asian industry say what's needed is not a boycott but a reform of ele