Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and international travel ban on elephant tourist camp management in northern Thailand

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the tourism industry, especially in Thailand. Starting in April 2020, the Thai government banned international travel and all elephant tourist camps closed. A wide variety of management changes were implemented because of the lack of income from tourists. This study surveyed 30 camps that cared for >400 elephants in northern Thailand to obtain information on camp, elephant, and mahout management during the COVID-19 pandemic from April 2020 to 2022 compared to the year before. The survey consisted of questionnaires that interviewed elephant camp owners, managers, veterinarians, and mahouts, and captured information on changes in camp operations, including numbers of tourists, elephants and mahouts, elephant and mahout activities, and veterinary care. Results revealed significant changes in camp structure, elephant work activities and general care. Staff layoffs led to a decrease in the ratio of mahouts to elephants from 1:1 to 1:2. Elephant activities, distance walked, and amounts of food were reduced when compared to pre-COVID-19, while chain hours were increased due to reduced activity. Overall, the COVID-19 crisis altered elephant management significantly, potentially affecting animal welfare resulting from changes in nutrition, health, exercise, and numbers of mahouts. We hope to use these data to develop better management plans and guidelines for elephant camps in Thailand so they can cope with the current and potential imminent pandemics that result in decreased tourism income. A follow-up study will measure health and welfare markers in relation to COVID-19 induced changes to determine if any camps adapted management to still meet elephant health and welfare needs, and could serve as models for responding to future pandemics.

Measures of Oxidative Status Markers in Relation to Age, Sex, and Season in Sick and Healthy Captive Asian Elephants in Thailand

“…It was surprising to see no seasonality effect on fGCMs in this study because numerous previous studies of captive elephants in Thailand showed that fGCM concentrations were higher in the winter season, which also corresponds to the high tourist season [46,100]. However, this study was conducted during the international travel ban in Thailand due to COVID-19 restrictions when all camps were closed [104], so this is the first evidence that seasonal changes in fGCMs may be directly related to tourist numbers and activities rather than environmental changes.…”

Physiological changes in captive elephants in Northern Thailand as a result of the COVID-19 tourism ban – muscle, liver, metabolic function, and body condition

“…Before the countrywide lockdown, elephants were involved in riding with a saddle (Camp B, C, E, and F) or bareback (Camp B), elephant shows (Camp B and C), and tourist feeding (all camps). After the lockdown, all tourist activities ceased ( Supplementary Table 1 ) ( 12 ).…”

“…Data were collected monthly for the first year (April 2020 to April 2021), and then every 4 months for the second year (May 2021 to April 2022), resulting in 16 collections that were then divided into seven time periods (T01-T07) ( Figure 1 ). Pre COVID-19 data (T00) obtained from Supanta et al ( 12 ) were included in some comparisons.…”

“…In 2015, Asian Captive Elephant Standards, an independent organization based in Thailand, was created to audit and certify elephant venues using guidelines based in part on these research findings, resulting in notable improvements. But then the global pandemic hit, and the tourism landscape changed significantly ( 12 ).…”

“…Upon recognition in March 2020 of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, the Thai government banned all international travel ( 13 ), severely reducing foreign tourism income and resulting in the closure of all elephant camps. Reductions in exercise opportunities and food provisions, increases in chaining time, and fewer mahouts caring for elephants all were observed ( 12 ), raising concerns about impacts on health and welfare. Extensive baseline data from studies of this population before the pandemic ( 3–6 , 8 , 10 ) provided a unique opportunity to examine how COVID-19 induced management changes directly affected elephant physiology.…”