The Sri Lankan elephant population is dwindling, and sadly a lot of them are living in captivity. Most are captured in the wild as babies, being ripped away from their mothers, and causing terrible distress to both of them. They are then beaten or "broken" to break their spirit, so they can then be trained to live in captivity. They are used in temples where they must stand in one place all day, chained so they can barely move and are unable to turn around. They are kept by individual owners in back yards, where they are chained and sometimes shackled, and rented out for festivals, and other things. They are used for trekking, where they must carry tourists all day on their backs, which are not strong enough to carry that kind of weight. When they are not trekking they are chained. Just recently in Vietnam, a trekking elephant collapsed and died from exhaustion. They are also chained and sometimes shackled in zoos. And the Pinnawala Elephant orphanage, is merely a money making tourist attraction, who also gifts elephants to temples and sells them to zoos, among other things. Again they spend much or their time chained. And all are kept in check by the use of a bull hook. Elephants are highly intelligent, social, and sensitive creatures. In the wild they live in herds, and can walk up to 30 miles a day, eating a variety of foods. They can also live as long as seventy years, but in captivity, many only live until they are in their thirties. They are not taken care of properly, and live a life of misery, suffering both phisically and psychologically. We are asking Sri Lanka to phase out these cruel traditions, forms of entertainment, and tourist attractions, and rehabilitate them for a life in the wild where they belong.
