A distressing photo has surfaced, revealing the damage inflicted on an elephant’s spine after years of carrying tourists.
The image, shared by the Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT), shows Pai Lin, a 71-year-old female elephant whose spine is permanently disfigured after decades of hard labor in Thailand’s trekking industry.
Pai Lin was sometimes forced to carry up to six people at once. The photo highlights the severe toll on her body, with her spine visibly sunken where it should naturally curve outward. After 25 years of this grueling work, Pai Lin was rescued and lives in a sanctuary managed by WFFT.
Elephant trekking is a popular tourist attraction in countries like Thailand, where Asian elephants are commonly used. Trekking companies profit greatly from this practice despite the harm it causes the animals.
Organizations like WFFT have long been advocating for an end to the use of elephants in tourism, pointing out the physical toll it takes on them.
According to WFFT, elephants in the trekking industry spend entire days carrying the combined weight of tourists, their handlers, and the heavy wooden seats known as howdahs.
This continuous pressure damages their tissues and bones, often leading to irreversible injuries. Pai Lin’s back still bears scars from the years of strain.
Pai Lin was rescued by WFFT in 2007 and now lives in the foundation’s 44-acre sanctuary, where she enjoys a peaceful life among 22 other rescued elephants.
Her new home is filled with trees and lakes, allowing her to engage in natural behaviors and recover from her past.
WFFT’s Project Director, Tom Taylor, emphasized that while elephants are known for their size and strength, their backs are not built to carry weight, as their spines extend upwards.
As seen in Pai Lin’s case, the repeated pressure from tourist rides can result in permanent damage.
Taylor also noted that many elephants rescued by WFFT have suffered years of abuse before being brought to the sanctuary.
WFFT hopes that Pai Lin’s story and image will discourage tourists from participating in activities that exploit elephants.
They encourage people to support ethical and sustainable sanctuaries instead of contributing to harmful trekking industries.
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