Development of a welfare assessment tool for tourist camp elephants in Asia.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Approximately one-third of Asian elephants are managed under human care, participating in educational, cultural, religious, and tourist activities. Management conditions vary considerably among venues, raising questions about whether welfare needs are consistently being met, particularly for Asian tourist camp elephants. To evaluate the well-being of elephants engaged in tourist activities, an evidence-based tool is needed for routine assessments to identify potential welfare risks, aid in the development of better camp standards, and enable caretakers to address specific concerns. While many animal welfare tools exist, none have been designed to consider specific environments and management practices faced by elephants living and working in tourist camps.

Methods

SUBMITTER: Ghimire R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11526799 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature