Asian Geographic - 01.01.2018

45

left Elephants play a game of

football – much to the delight

of the crowd

below Elaborately dressed

performers wait backstage

before a traditional dance

performance

bottom An elephant steps over

a volunteer from the audience.

The elephants playfully pat the

volunteers on the bottom

At one point, volunteers from the audience

lie in a row as an elephant steps over their

bodies, with the elephants occasionally –

playfully – patting a volunteer’s bottom

The programme repeats itself the
following day on Sunday.
In the past decade, elephant
tourism has been scrutinised by the
media, with advocacy groups shining
a light on some of the negative aspects
of the industry. Although conditions
and training methods appear to be
improving, controversy still surrounds
elephants being used for rides, walking
in cities, as well as performing
circus tricks.

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