Elephant tourism has become a popular attraction in many parts of Asia and Africa, offering visitors the chance to observe, feed, touch, ride, or even bathe with these animals. In Asia, particularly Thailand and India, tourists can often interact closely with captive elephants, while African elephant tourism is more focused on observing free-ranging animals in national parks. However, a growing body of research is raising concerns about the impact of these practices on both human health and elephant welfare.

A comprehensive review, conducted by researchers with backgrounds in veterinary medicine, animal welfare, zoonotic disease, and biology, examines the complex issues surrounding elephant tourism. The study analyzed over 500 scientific publications to assess the public health, safety, and animal welfare implications of this industry.

The researchers identified at least 12 confirmed or potential zoonotic infections that can be transmitted between elephants and humans in tourism settings. These include serious diseases like tuberculosis, anthrax, salmonellosis, and various viral and parasitic infections. The study highlights that close contact between humans and elephants in captive conditions creates an “unredeemable and indefensible public health situation” that cannot be safely controlled.

Tuberculosis (TB) emerged as a primary concern, with studies finding TB prevalence rates of 16 to 23% in captive elephant populations. The researchers note that elephants can inhale and expel large volumes of air, potentially dispersing pathogens over long distances. This makes even limited-scale outdoor areas and elephant riding potentially hazardous for disease transmission. They emphasize that stress and poor welfare conditions can compromise elephants’ immune systems, increasing the likelihood of disease transmission.

Beyond infectious diseases, the study also documented numerous elephant-to-human injuries and fatalities in tourism settings, though comprehensive data on this issue is lacking.

The animal welfare concerns uncovered in the review are equally alarming. The researchers identified at least 13 areas of significant welfare issues, including:

• Physical and psychological abuse during training and handling
• Injury and disease from poor living conditions
• Social deprivation and inability to perform natural behaviors
• Post-traumatic stress disorder in 74% of elephants previously used for riding and entertainment

One study of 1,422 captive elephants in Thailand found that 86% were kept on short chains when not being used for tourist activities, with 26% confined to concrete floors. Another survey revealed that 40% of observed elephants exhibited stereotypic behaviors indicative of psychological distress.

The authors argue that current industry guidelines and voluntary measures are insufficient to address these serious health and welfare concerns. They recommend several urgent actions:

1. Enact legal bans on the promotion and performance of close-contact elephant-human experiences, with strong enforcement.
2. Create consistent policies among health and conservation organizations to discourage elephant tourism.
3. Immediately cease commercial promotion for close-contact elephant activities.
4. Implement 24/7 live-streamed video surveillance of captive elephants to ensure welfare standards.
5. Develop “positive list” systems to differentiate legitimate observation of free-ranging elephants from problematic captive scenarios. (In contrast to “negative lists,” which would indicate prohibited activities, positive lists would be limited just to activities deemed safe and therefore permissible.)

The researchers emphasize that even in highly regulated environments like zoos, disease transmission between elephants and humans continues to occur. They conclude that lower-regulated tourism activities cannot reasonably be expected to manage these risks effectively.

While acknowledging the economic importance of elephant tourism in some regions, the study’s authors argue that the serious public health threats and animal welfare violations make the current model unsustainable. They call for a shift toward observational tourism of free-ranging elephants in protected areas as a more ethical alternative.

This study provides compelling evidence for animal advocates and policymakers to push for stricter regulation and transformation of the elephant tourism industry. By highlighting both the human health risks and animal suffering involved, it presents a strong case for ending close-contact elephant experiences and prioritizing the welfare of these intelligent, social animals.