March 31, 2020

Andrew Campbell 

The COVID-19 pandemic not only affects human health, economy, but also makes about 2000 elephants “out of work”, as the coronavirus hits the tourism of Thailand, according to Theerapat Trungprakan, president of the Thai Elephant Alliance Association.

As the symbol of Thailand, the elephant needs to be fed with 660lb of food a day for survival. The paralyzing global travel resulted in the lack of cash to afford available fibrous food. The salary of their handlers, known as mahouts, who take care of them, has decreased by 70%.

Although about 2000 elephants working in the tourism were abused before the virus, for they often needed to give rides for visitors, and play tricks at animal shows to make money, campaigners feared that the underfed and chained up elephants in Thailand’s tourist spots might starve, be sold to zoos or be shifted into illegal logging trade along the Thai-Myanmar border, which broke the 30-year-old law against using elephants.

Photo:Webshot.