 |
|
An urban elephant roams the streets of Bangkok, Thailand.
|
|
|
On the streets of Bangkok and other large cities in Thailand, unemployed
and homeless Asian elephants are becoming a common -- and controversial
-- sight. While some of the animals are popular tourist attractions,
with mahouts selling bananas or bags of food for a few cents to passers
by, many are considered nuisances that threaten pedestrians and snarl
traffic.
Many mahouts, however, say they have little choice but to bring their
elephants to the big city. The spread of farm machinery and limits on
logging have reduced the demand for elephant laborers, forcing the mahouts
to find other ways to make a living during some seasons. One of the
best options, they say, is using the elephant to attract donations along
a busy city street.
Thai officials frown upon the practice, and have passed laws banning
elephants from roadways. But the mahouts say the laws have little effect.
"We know that walking elephants on the streets is illegal, but we have
to, otherwise neither us nor the elephants would have anything to eat,"
one told the BANGKOK POST a few years ago. Even the periodic fine isn't
enough to scare the mahouts away.
But life in the big city can be dangerous. Some elephants are hit by
cars. Others are abused by children. And recently, the POST reported
that one elephant broke its leg after stumbling into a storm drain.
The accident dashed the hopes of the elephant's mahout, who had hoped
to make enough money parading the animal through the streets to pay
off a debt. His dream dashed, he could only wait as his elephant's leg
healed in a local animal hospital.
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
Screensaver
Bring the Urban Elephants home!
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
Prized Captives
Asian elephants struggle to survive.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
City Life
The lives of elephants in Bangkok.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
A Safe Haven
A sanctuary for once-captive elephants.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Resources
More on the plight of these gentle giants.
|
|
|
 
|
