NATGEOTRAVEL.COM
WHY IT MATTERS
WILDLIFE TOURISM
Respect the
Animals
Tips for wildlife
encounters that promote
sanctuary, not selfies
By Natasha Daly
R
ight away Elephant Valley Thailand felt differ-
ent. The property, nestled in the forest on the
outskirts of Chiang Rai, a small city in northern
Thailand, was the fifth elephant attraction I’d visited in
a week. I’d seen shows where elephants kicked soccer
balls and twirled hula hoops. I’d watched people ride
on their backs and swing from their trunks. I’d peeked
into the stalls to which elephants returned after work-
ing, where they’re chained by their ankles to posts.
But Elephant Valley was quiet. It was the first time
all week that I’d seen elephants from a distance. One
was bathing in a pond, alone. Another two were eating
in the middle of a field. Wooden fences surrounded
most of the fields—to keep us out, not them in, John
Lee, a manager at Elephant Valley, told me. That’s
what struck me most: No one was allowed to touch
the animals. These were elephants being elephants.
Elephant Valley Thailand, home to five elephants
that previously worked in trekking camps and thelogging industry, is unlike most other elephant
attractions in Thailand. Many of the country’s 3,800
captive elephants live in camps that offer up-close,
interactive experiences that allow visitors to ride or
bathe the animals or watch them perform in shows.
The activities are a massive draw for travelers from
around the world, part of a lucrative global industry
that puts people together with exotic animals for once-
in-a-lifetime encounters.
It’s what brought me to Thailand, a monthlong stop
on a reporting trip for National Geographic magazine
that took photographer Kirsten Luce and me to four
continents over a year and a half. Our goal was simple:
to look at the animals that entertain us and the people
who seek them out. Those people are you and they’re
me. I have a photo of myself at two years old, perched
on an elephant’s back at a zoo in my hometown of
Toronto, Canada. Eight years ago, on my honeymoon,
I went swimming with captive manta rays in Mexico.At Elephant
Valley Thailand,
outside Chiang
Rai, tourists
observe the
animals from a
safe distance.