10 Aug 2018
Intrepid Group co-founder Geoff Manchester has admitted to not knowing the dark side of elephant riding, but that there is no excuse any longer, in a mini-documentary released for World Elephant Day.
The travel company has shown graphic footage of the torture of young elephants for rides, in a plea to travellers to stop the tourist attractions for good.
“I was the first ever Intrepid leader, so I guess I was the first Intrepid leader to take travellers on elephant rides,” Manchester said.
Intrepid Group was the first travel company to ban elephant rides in 2014 following research collaboration with World Animal Protection and many in the travel industry followed suit.
The confronting documentary highlights the practice of beating and starvation to make the elephants submissive for human rides.
“When we rescue elephants some of them have worked for humans for six or seven decades… More than 80% arrive with a huge mental problem. Some of them stand still like a zombie, some of them are very aggressive and angry,” Elephant Nature Park Chiang Mai founder Lek Chailert said.
“I don’t blame people because they don’t know,” Chailert added.
This is the message Intrepid is urging on World Elephant Day – you didn’t know. We didn’t know. But NOW that we do KNOW, we need to spread the message, with research showing that not all Australians know that elephant riding involves cruelty.
The latest research from World Animal Protection commissioned this year shows that 28% of Australians have taken an elephant ride. 40% of women think elephant rides are unacceptable, while 27% of men think the same.
Consumer sentiment and awareness is not at the level it should be, Manchester said, and on World Elephant Day Intrepid pleads with travellers to cease elephant riding for good.
“It’s just the start of something that will hopefully eventuate in elephant riding ceasing all together and that might be in 10 years or it might be in 20 years but eventually it will happen,” Manchester added.
World Elephant Day, August 12, was set up to bring urgent attention to the plight of Asian and African elephants. The Intrepid Foundation supports three organisations dedicated to protecting and preserving the world’s elephants:
Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society
These organisations provide conservation strategies that keep elephants safe from poaching and exploitation, and work with local communities to create unique solutions that tackle human-wildlife conflict.
To donate visit: https://www.theintrepidfoundation.org/world-elephant-day-2018
The Intrepid Group will match each contribution.
View the documentary here:
ENDS –
About Intrepid Travel:
Intrepid Travel is a global adventure travel company that has been taking travellers off the beaten track to discover the world's most amazing places for 29 years. The company offers more than 1,500 trips in more than 120 countries and on every continent. Every trip is designed to truly experience local culture - to meet local people, try local food, take local transport and stay in local accommodation. A world leader in responsible travel, Intrepid’s award-winning tour leaders, small group sizes and included activities mean they offer travellers great value for money. www.intrepidtravel.com
About the Intrepid Group:
Now the world’s largest provider of adventure travel experiences, Intrepid has been taking people off the beaten track to discover the world's most amazing places for 29 years. The Melbourne-based company is privately-owned by two university friends who had the goal of building the business with a purpose beyond profit. The Intrepid Group now includes five tour operator brands, 20 destination management companies and a not-for-profit foundation that last year gave $1m to charities. Intrepid now takes more than 350,000 travellers each year on more than 2000 trips in more than 120 countries and on every continent. A carbon-neutral business since 2010, Intrepid trips are carbon-offset and designed to truly explore local culture, meet local people, try local food, take local transport and stay in local accommodation. Award-winning tour leaders, small group sizes and lots of included activities means travellers are able to have a sustainable local experience that is great value for money. Intrepid Travel’s founders now privately-own the Intrepid Group, a portfolio of brands that together are the largest provider of adventure travel experiences in the world.
www.intrepidgroup.travel
