Media & Press
Press Releases
August 11, 2020
NEW CAMPAIGN ENCOURAGES RESPONSIBLE WILDLIFE TOURISM
Ethical Elephant Experiences challenges travelers and travel companies to commit to supporting a better future for elephants
NEW CAMPAIGN ENCOURAGES RESPONSIBLE WILDLIFE TOURISM
Ethical Elephant Experiences challenges travelers and travel companies to commit to supporting a better future for elephants
August 12, 2020 – Ethical Elephant Experiences is a new campaign introduced by Trunks & Leaves to change the narrative around wildlife tourism, notably elephant viewing.
Tourism can play an important role in sustaining endangered wildlife, if it is done correctly. From a financial standpoint, it can lend to the maintenance of protected areas, livelihoods of local communities, conservation efforts and upkeep of endangered species in human care that cannot be released into the wild. Wildlife experiences also instill public appreciation for the species and spread awareness around the issues they face.
However, in many places, the demand for wildlife tourism has led to exploitative, cruel and dangerous practices. Wild animals are captured and drugged to pose for photos with tourists, confined in tiny spaces, or subjected to grueling workloads. At many facilities, the demand for cute baby animals can also spur irresponsible breeding or illegal captures. These issues are highlighted when it comes to the much-beloved but often-exploited and highly endangered Asian elephant.
"For the first time, the tourism industry is on hold and travel is almost nonexistent. This is a powerful opportunity to reflect on how we’ve been doing things and how we can improve in the future. We are challenging everyone - travelers, tour operators, organizations, influencers - to pledge to responsible tourism practices moving forward. As the world begins to slowly reopen and people are starting to think about travel again, we can all make better choices for the future of wildlife,” said Shermin de Silva, Founder of Trunks & Leaves.
Ethical Elephant Experiences provides the resources and information necessary to enable travelers to make responsible decisions. Travelers and travel companies are encouraged to take the pledge to publicly commit to ethical experiences that ensure the safety and well-being of elephants, other wildlife and humans alike. The awareness campaign will run until September 27th, World Tourism Day, with the resources continuing to be available beyond that date. Photos are available for download from this link.
Trunks & Leaves is a researched-based conservation organization focusing on the protection of Asian elephants and their habitats. Ethical Elephant Experiences is a step toward their mission of facilitating peaceful coexistence between humans and elephants, and to ensure the survival of endangered Asian elephants for future generations.
Primary URLs:
About Trunks & Leaves
Trunks & Leaves is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization specializing in the conservation of Asian elephants and their habitats. Their mission is to raise awareness around endangered Asian elephants, locally and globally, providing resources and tools for education, research and conservation. For more information, please visit www.trunksnleaves.org.
PR Contact:
Andra Janieks
andra@trunksnleaves.org
Tourism can play an important role in sustaining endangered wildlife, if it is done correctly. From a financial standpoint, it can lend to the maintenance of protected areas, livelihoods of local communities, conservation efforts and upkeep of endangered species in human care that cannot be released into the wild. Wildlife experiences also instill public appreciation for the species and spread awareness around the issues they face.
However, in many places, the demand for wildlife tourism has led to exploitative, cruel and dangerous practices. Wild animals are captured and drugged to pose for photos with tourists, confined in tiny spaces, or subjected to grueling workloads. At many facilities, the demand for cute baby animals can also spur irresponsible breeding or illegal captures. These issues are highlighted when it comes to the much-beloved but often-exploited and highly endangered Asian elephant.
"For the first time, the tourism industry is on hold and travel is almost nonexistent. This is a powerful opportunity to reflect on how we’ve been doing things and how we can improve in the future. We are challenging everyone - travelers, tour operators, organizations, influencers - to pledge to responsible tourism practices moving forward. As the world begins to slowly reopen and people are starting to think about travel again, we can all make better choices for the future of wildlife,” said Shermin de Silva, Founder of Trunks & Leaves.
Ethical Elephant Experiences provides the resources and information necessary to enable travelers to make responsible decisions. Travelers and travel companies are encouraged to take the pledge to publicly commit to ethical experiences that ensure the safety and well-being of elephants, other wildlife and humans alike. The awareness campaign will run until September 27th, World Tourism Day, with the resources continuing to be available beyond that date. Photos are available for download from this link.
Trunks & Leaves is a researched-based conservation organization focusing on the protection of Asian elephants and their habitats. Ethical Elephant Experiences is a step toward their mission of facilitating peaceful coexistence between humans and elephants, and to ensure the survival of endangered Asian elephants for future generations.
Primary URLs:
- Responsible tourism resources: https://trunksnleaves.org/tourism.html
- Take the pledge: https://trunksnleaves.org/pledge.html
- Campaign announcement: https://maximus.trunksnleaves.org/2020/08/12/responsible-tourism-ethical-elephant-experiences/
About Trunks & Leaves
Trunks & Leaves is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization specializing in the conservation of Asian elephants and their habitats. Their mission is to raise awareness around endangered Asian elephants, locally and globally, providing resources and tools for education, research and conservation. For more information, please visit www.trunksnleaves.org.
PR Contact:
Andra Janieks
andra@trunksnleaves.org
Videos
Sri Lanka, Elephant IslandBy BBC Natural World (BBC2)
A documentary produced by Mike Birkhead Associates and filmed by Martyn Colbeck about the Asian elephants in Uda Walawe national park. In consultation with the Uda Walawe Elephant Research Project.
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Elephant EcosystemsBy Untamed Science
Why do we need large animals like elephants? This short animation explores the important role elephants play in their ecosystems.
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Podcasts
Interview on the Projects for Wildlife PodcastClick to listen on your favorite platform
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Interview on the Flight Club PodcastClick to listen on your favorite platform.
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In The News
Other Links
General:
Elephant Behavior:
Elephant Conservation:
- Sri Lanka: Elephant Island - Mike Birkhead Associates & BBC Natural World (aired 9th August 2013, BBC2).
- Coming back home for the love of elephants - The Sunday Times (2 November 2014).
Elephant Behavior:
- Buzz Off! Elephants Give Bees a Wide Birth - Cosmos Magazine (26 January 2018)
- Elephants are Very Scared of Bees. That Could Save Their Lives - New York Times (26 January 2018)
- Asian Elephant Herds Lack Clear Matriarchs, Strict Hierarchy: New Study - Mongabay (18 October 2016)
- Dwarf Elephant Beats Up Big Rival - BBC Earth (7 January 2015)
- Elephant ‘Speaks’ Like A Human – Uses Trunk To Shape Sound - National Geographic (2 November 2012).
- Asian Elephants Are Social Networkers - ScienceNOW ( 26 July 2011).
- Elephant Study Reveals Social Bonds, Communication Skills - Voice of America (radio interview, 29 August 2011).
- Social Networking Elephants Never Forget - Science Daily (26 July 2011)
- Social Networks Rule Among Asian Elephants - Livescience / MSNBC / Mother Nature Network (29 July 2011).
- Tracing Social Networks Of The Asian Elephant - New York Times (1 August 2011).
- Auch Asiens Elefanten Haben Soziale Netze (Asian Elephants Also Have Social Networks) - Zeit Online (8 August 2011).
Elephant Conservation:
- There is An Answer to the World's Deadliest Human-Elephant Conflict - NewScientist (October 16 2012)
- Scientists Propose Rethinking "Endangered Species" Definition to Save Slow Breeding Giants - EurekAlert! (May 17 2019).
- The Folly of Fences - The Sunday Times, Opinion (19 August 2018; see blog entry, with photos).
- Opinion: Irrelevant, Illogical and Illegal - 24 Experts Respond to Arguments Supporting Legalization of the Ivory Trade - National Geographic, A Voice For Elephants (2 October 2014).
- Q & A: Conservation Challenges in Sri Lanka - A Conversation with Shermin de Silva - A Voice For Elephants, National Geographic (16 July 2014).
- Uda Walawe: Flaunting laws and fueling human-elephant conflict - The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka, 21 November 2010).
