Asian elephant experts are sounding the alarm about elephant sanctuaries after a tourist who visited an elephant in Thailand died.
Blanca Ojanguren García, 22, a law student at the University of Navarra, passed away last week. According to Spanish media, she was bathing an elephant at Ko Yao Elephant Care when the 50-year-old elephant killed her with its trunk.
The company told Spanish newspaper El Mundo that there were about 18 people at the shelter at the time, including the victim's boyfriend. No other visitors were injured, and details of the incident, including how the animals were treated, are not yet known.
But the incident raises questions about how safe elephant sanctuaries that lure tourists with promises of animal encounters actually are.
'Incredibly sociable': Researchers make a surprising discovery about how African elephants interact with each other
Concerns about elephant tourism have been raised after a Spanish student was killed by an elephant last week. (License/Getty Images)
Duncan McNair, CEO of a London-based charity Please save the Asian elephant. He spoke to FOX News Digital about the tragedy and warned tourists to think twice before visiting.
“The word 'sanctuary', similar to 'refuge' or 'orphanage', is a very offensive word and usually has no meaning or is certainly lacking in precision,” McNair said. spoke. “ The majority of sanctuaries in Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, Vietnam and Cambodia are not ethical. They are cruel and do it all for money. ”
It is still unclear why the elephant attacked Garcia and how the zoo's keepers treated him before he was killed. But Mr McNair said it was possible that the elephant was not aware of its strength, but more likely that it was violently attacking its environment.
”[The trunk] “Elephants have very diverse, durable, and versatile organs,” McNair explained. “Elephants don't jump around randomly or wave their trunks around. … There's no way this could have been an accident.
Viola, a circus elephant with a history of escape, is free again in Montana and heads to the casino slot machine.
McNair advises tourists not to come into close contact with elephants, citing concerns for both parties. (License/Getty Images)
“So how did this happen? Of course, this elephant, like almost all elephants kept for commercial exploitation, was exposed to extreme stress and was kept in completely unnatural conditions. Because they were bred.”
He stressed that while elephants are gentle and intelligent animals, “calmness” does not mean they are domesticated. And they can be hyper-reactive to any threats or stressors they perceive, even well-intentioned travelers.
“Elephants are wild animals. … They are kept in captivity and brutally abused into submission,” McNair explained. “But that doesn't mean they're tame. It just means they're fearful for an extended period of time.
“If they see an opening or if they feel too stressed, they will attack and kill.”
Click here to sign up for our lifestyle newsletter
Elephant sanctuaries attract tourists by offering opportunities to interact with elephants, but they can also pose significant risks. (License/Getty Images)
The animal rights activist said that although elephants are “amazing and complex” herbivores, they still react aggressively when threatened.
“They react sometimes to extremes when something flashes in the corner of their vision,” McNair explained. “And putting an elephant that has probably been abused in captivity for decades in close proximity to a young woman who probably has little experience with elephants and no proper training is an absolute It will lead to disaster.”
McNair, who also works as a corporate lawyer, said the abuse of elephants begins before the animals even set foot in sanctuaries. Elephants are often snatched by poachers who commit cruelties, such as killing mothers in front of their calves and stabbing their calves multiple times into submission.
Elephants are gentle, but dangerous to humans if abused. (License/Getty Images)
“Elephants that are brutally abused for tourism purposes are extremely dangerous. … These activities are not only devastating for elephants, but also deadly for humans,” he said.
Through Save the Asian Elephants, Mr McNair has been advocating for legislation to stop cruelty to animals, such as the Animals (Low Welfare Activities Overseas) Act 2023, passed by the UK Parliament. . This effort also recently led to him being named an elephant. 2024 Legal Hero of the Year by the Law Society of England and Wales.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Now he and other animal rights activists are scrutinizing tourism companies that encourage unethical treatment of elephants. Mr McNair said some sanctuaries treat elephants ethically and advised tourists to do their research before booking a trip to ensure both their own safety and the safety of the elephants. did.
”[We want] “That's really what we're trying to do, to move the animal tourism market from being cruel to being ethical,” McNair said. “It's not about shutting down travel companies; No. It's to help the animals and to help the people who want to make money from animal tourism…but think about it ethically.”
For more lifestyle articles, visit foxnews.com/lifestyle.
