Thailand, Covid-19 and Tourist Elephants:
Thailand, Covid-19 and Tourist Elephants:
2,500 tourist elephants and 5,000 mahouts and associated employees are largely out of work due to Covid-19. The elephants, needing upwards of 200kg of feed per day, are struggling for survival. The monthly cost to supply this requirement is between $200-$400 per month.
The attached article states that Lek Chailert's Save Elephants Foundation is delivering food and supplies to 668 elephants...this number has apparently grown to nearly 2,000 since this Mongabay article was written.
“Most owners don’t like me or my work because I go and speak and fight against the cruelty [of elephant riding],” [Lek] Chailert said. “They think I’m the one who tried to change their tradition. Finally at this time … they contact me and they say, ‘Please help.’ I do not hesitate to go and bring our friendship to them. And I hope we can break down walls and open up windows to work with them.”
