Planning on going to Bali and you are wondering if there is any elephant sanctuary in Bali. In an ideal world, we would not need any elephant sanctuaries but unfortunately, the reality is that elephants need to be saved or rescued. Is there any elephant sanctuary in Bali?
Yes, there is an elephant sanctuary in Bali but it is not the same standard as Thailand sanctuaries. Unfortunately, elephants worldwide are been forced to work and do tricks in the circus, and also their habitat is been destroyed. And they are been hunted for the tusks. As a result elephant sanctuaries have come necessary.
In this post, we will go through if there are any elephant sanctuaries in Bali. So let’s get started!
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Are There Any Elephant Sanctuaries In Bali?
There is one main elephant sanctuary in Bali, which is Mason Elephant Park and Lodge. The park is a purpose-built environment for elephants and is committed to protecting the Sumatran elephants.
There are around 30 Sumatran elephants in an 8-acre park at Mason Elephant Park.
Also, this is the home to the largest herd of Sumatran elephants that were rescued. And while at the park you get to see how the elephants are well cared for and how their daily needs are catered for.
What Is The Aim of Elephant Sanctuaries?
The aim of elephant sanctuaries is to provide a safe home for the elephants so they live and roam as free as realistically possible. Most of the elephants are rescued or injured that need help to recover.
They also help baby elephants that have been orphaned cause their parents were killed often due to illegal hunting. There is a challenge to returning captive elephants to the wild as being held in captivity does change their behavior.
Can I Wash Elephants At The Sanctuary In Bali?
Yes, you can bathe the elephants at Mason Elephant Park and Lodge.
Can You Swim With Elephants In Bali?
Yes, you can swim with the elephants at Mason Elephant Park and Lodge.
Why You Should Not Ride Elephants In Bali?
The reason that you shouldn’t ride elephants is due to the cruel methods to break in the elephants so that they can be ridden. These methods include elephants being jabbed with metal hooks or sharp hooks and deprived of food and beaten.
In addition, these places will often take baby elephants away from their parents. And then in a cruel manner to break them in that will involve stabbing them with bullhooks, beating them into submission, taking away their food, and all while they’re kept in tiny cages.
What Is An Ethical Elephant Sanctuary?
An ethical elephant sanctuary is a sanctuary where you cannot ride the elephants and they don’t do tricks. And also the elephants will not experience any punishment, chaining, or other forms of dominance.
Elephant tourism and ethical elephant tourism is an ongoing debates, with ethical tourism the way forward.
To ensure change to more ethical elephant tourism, tourists need to not visit sanctuaries that make elephants do tricks and where they allow riding elephants.
Signs That Elephant Sanctuary Is Not Ethical
There are a few signs that can indicate that the elephants are being treated properly. These are as follows.
You See Chains
If there are any chains insight or it seems that the elephant’s movement is restricted. This is a major sign that it is an unethical elephant sanctuary.
The Elephants Perform Tricks
If you see elephants performing tricks and that the elephants seem to be following the commands of their handlers. Such as posing for photos by lifting their trunks, sitting on their hind legs, or painting.
This again is a major sign that it is an unethical elephant sanctuary.
Touching The Elephants Or Touching Is Limited
Ethical elephant sanctuaries do not let you touch the elephants as this can be stressful for the elephants and could be dangerous to you.
Also, bathing sessions at sanctuaries are popular but even this can be bad for the elephants especially if the camp allows visitors to sit on them to bathe them.
Elephants Should Have Shade, Water, And Food
The elephants at the sanctuaries should look healthy and not skinny. It is easy to tell if the elephants haven’t had any shade or water.
Also, make sure they are not dressed up.
Online Reviews Can Highlight Red Flags
When deciding on which sanctuary to visit, always check the online reviews from Tripadvisor. If reviews seem to regularly mention elephants doing tricks and people riding elephants.
This again is a major red flag that it is an unethical elephant sanctuary. It is also worth visiting the sanctuary website.
Are There Any Ethical Elephant Sanctuaries In Bali?
At the time of writing this, there are no known ethical elephant parks in Bali.
USEFUL TRAVEL RESOURCES
Book Accommodation
Booking.com has a large range of properties from hotels, hostels, guesthouses, and resorts where you will find the best deals. Airbnb and Hostelworld also have a good range of places to stay at good prices.
Booking Flight
Skyscanner is a flight search comparison website that searches millions of flights all at once. Ultimately it is the best flight comparison website online at the moment.
Booking Transportation & Things To Do
Rome2rio and 12Go are useful to plan how to get anywhere by searching train, bus, car, and ferry routes. Especially useful in countries like Vietnam or Thailand. While Klook is great for exploring things to do in each place.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is cheap and more than likely you will never need to use it but you will have peace of mind if something does happen, you are covered in case of an emergency. World Nomads have great customer service and competitive prices.
Check out our resource page for the best companies to use when you travel.
Wrapping Up
Finally, there is one elephant sanctuary in Bali but its reviews are mixed. It is always advisable to check online reviews from Tripadvisor and Google reviews or if there are any recent blog posts highlighting any issues. At present, there are no ethical elephant sanctuaries in Bali but there might be in the future.
And that’s it for now! I’d love to know if this guide is there any elephant sanctuary in Bali that has helped you. Let me know if you have any questions and let me know if there is more to add.
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