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IT’S AN UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTH 

 

COVID-19 has changed everything. That includes the lives of an estimated 14,000 captive elephants throughout Asia and the people who ensure their well-being.

 

Elephant sanctuaries and camps have closed. Working elephants, like humans, are in lock down mode. In many Asian countries wild forests no longer exist so release is impossible. For too many captive elephants this means being shackled on chains day and night, indefinitely. 

 

With COVID-19’s arrival, tourists have vanished from Asia along with crucial funds needed to support the health and welfare of elephants living under human care. As the months tick by under the uncertainty of this puzzling pandemic, resources and services are in short supply and elephants are in trouble.  

 

In a perfect world, elephants would not live in captivity and their fate would not depend on tourism. But they do and it does. Elephant food is becoming scarce and of poor quality. Sadly, for some elephants, malnutrition, life-threatening health conditions, and even starvation are an existential threat.   

 

And now, when Asia’s elephants need good health and welfare care more than ever, elephant veterinarians, mahouts, and other care providers are being laid off as budgets are whittled down to the bare minimum. Wounds, infections, traumatic injuries, and the growing effects of malnutrition and benign neglect will go untreated for too long.

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Many elephants will suffer. Some will die. All deserve our help.

 

YOUR DONATION WILL provide essential food, medicine, supplies, and hands-on health and welfare care for elephants when and where they need it—until the COVID-19 crisis has passed and the economy has stabilized.