News > This is what years of tourist rides do to an elephant

This is what years of tourist rides do to an elephant

Elephants may be known for their size and strength, but tourists who ride on their backs can still do great harm. Elephant rides are a popular tourist activity in countries across Southeast Asia, but activists say the practice is a form of animal cruelty as their bodies are not designed to be ridden. They say the animals are also often abused and exploited in other industries like trekking and logging, with many dying from exhaustion and malnutrition as they are literally worked to death.