Following widespread criticism, dozens of elephants forced to perform for tourists in Thailand have been freed from their chains.
The Maesa Elephant Camp in Chiang Mai, which had faced backlash for its treatment of the animals, is now taking steps to improve their conditions.
Recent footage shows the elephants grazing and interacting freely at the camp. This change comes after activists exposed the harsh conditions last November, revealing that baby elephants were separated from their mothers and trained to perform stunts such as painting, playing football, and throwing darts.
The camp has started removing the shackles from its 77 elephants, with plans to release them from their chains eventually.
Anchalee Kalamaphichit, the camp’s executive officer, explained that the decision to free the elephants followed ongoing criticism of their treatment.
“Living freely is a new experience for these elephants,” Kalamaphichit said. “We decided to start with the oldest and friendliest elephants to help them adapt. We are pleased to see them happier without chains and hope to free the rest soon.”
British organization Moving Animals, which highlighted the elephants’ plight last year, expressed satisfaction with the camp’s decision. Founder Amy Jones noted, “It’s remarkable to see these elephants living without chains.
As the largest elephant camp in Northern Thailand, Maesa’s policy change sends a strong message to the elephant tourism industry.”
Jones also pointed out that ABTA, the UK’s largest travel association, has updated its guidelines to condemn unethical elephant interactions, hoping to encourage other tourist attractions to follow suit.
Last year, Moving Animals documented the distressing conditions at the camp, including elephants showing signs of psychological stress and being subjected to harsh training methods.
The group had called for a ban on advertising and selling tours to such places, citing the physical and psychological harm inflicted on the animals.
The camp’s recent actions represent a significant shift, offering hope that more tourist destinations will adopt humane practices for wildlife.
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