Even if you know not to ride an elephant, there are other activities such as feeding and bathing that you might want to participate in, but are they ethical? Aside from potential safety issues, close interactions with elephants can be fraught with welfare and disease problems. One of the often forgotten considerations is herd dynamics. Elephants have strong social connections which do not involve us, but close interaction with humans can often disrupt social bonding opportunities with other elephants. Repeated bathing can irritate the skin too. Elephants know when they need to bathe and for how long so we do not need to get involved. In addition, obesity can be prevalent due to overfeeding by tourists, and often elephants have very little choice in any element of their life, including their need to forage for a variety of foods. Instead, letting elephants be elephants, and observing them from a safe and respectful distance is the best thing that can be done to ensure elephant welfare.

It may be a lifelong dream to cuddle a tiger cub or walk with a lion, but what impact will that have on the animals involved? Studies have shown that cubs in these situations show stress behaviours, suffer from poor husbandry practices, and are unable to rest and sleep properly. These activities can also negatively impact conservation efforts of these vulnerable and endangered species.

Handlings reptiles such as snakes, crocodiles and lizards can seem exciting but it can also be damaging. They have no choice in the matter, they may be very scared, and some handling can damage their body parts too. Disease transmission is also a potential risk.

It can be a common sight to see a primate on a chain, waiting to take photos with tourists. The sad reality is that the primates in these situations are often lonely, aggravated and unlikely to want to take part without coercion. Your photo opportunity can be supporting a lifetime of suffering. There is also significant risk of disease transmission through these interactions. Images of humans in close proximity to primates can also send the wrong message when shared publicly. For more on this, read the IUCN Best Practice Guidelines for Responsible Images of Primates.

Performing animals can suffer immensely, feeling frustration and fear at being forced to repeatedly perform unnatural behaviours. It is vital any animal involved in a show always has a choice as to whether they take part or not and that wherever animals are used, they are carrying out their normal and natural behaviours, not circus-style tricks or stunts. Our helpful blog has more information.

Animal cafes have become increasingly popular in recent years but their implications on welfare, conservation and health are not always fully appreciated. Not only are many facilities housing species potentially threatened with extinction or decreasing populations, but there are also considerable disease risks in environments where humans and animals interact. In terms of welfare, these cafes are often very noisy, unnaturally lit, and have limited or wholly inappropriate housing for species with complex needs. These factors all constitute a very stressful environment for the animals involved. You can read more about our investigation into Owl Cafes in Japan..