Elephant polo: WSPA reaffirms opposition

[Guest guest]

*Dear colleagues,*

* Please find attached the current position of

the World Society for the Protection of Animals(WSPA) on elephant polo. Many

thanks to Mr Dave Eastham for providing support to the anti-elephant polo

campaign.*

* Best wishes,*

**

* *

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*Position statement on Elephant Polo 14/08/07*

 

 

 

WSPA opposes the use of animals in sport or for entertainment when such use

is contrary to the animals' nature, or may involve suffering or adversely

affect the animals' welfare. We are writing in relation to the elephant polo

tournaments which take place in Thailand and we wish to raise our concerns

over the welfare issues associated with these events.

 

 

 

Elephants are a highly intelligent and sentient species, well known to

suffer when kept in zoos and circuses; environments which cannot meet their

physical, behavioural and psychological needs. The nature of the polo

tournaments requires the elephants to perform some highly unnatural

behaviours which require harsh repetitive training techniques and often

negative reinforcement, including the use of bull hooks.

 

 

 

Despite attempts to keep elephant welfare as a priority during the matches

themselves elephant polo games are still inherently inhumane. Welfare

problems are unavoidable in situations where an animal's natural behaviour

is restricted and when the animal is required to perform behaviours at odds

with how it would behave in the wild. The training process enabling an

elephant to play polo, starts from a young age and is highly repetitive and

as already mentioned is likely to involve methods which compromise the

welfare of that animal. In addition, control and restraint of such large

animals is difficult in captivity and is normally achieved using a

combination of negative reinforcement training (i.e. the application of a

painful or aversive stimulus - being hit, touched with sharp object or

electric shock; and consequent removal of this stimulus when correct

behaviour is performed) and physical restraint such as chaining or

shackling, usually by the legs.

 

 

 

The WSPA is also concerned that the promotion of events which use animals in

this way sends out the message that exploitation of wild animals for use in

entertainment is acceptable. We oppose any action which may encourage the

increased use of wild animals in the entertainment industry.

 

 

 

It is also important to consider the safety aspects of the elephant polo

events and the significant risks posed to both human and elephants. Earlier

this year, an elephant at a polo game in Sri Lanka, threw off its trainer

and rampaged off the pitch and crushed a mini bus in the process. It was

simply down to good fortune that no-one was killed or more seriously

injured. Elephants are huge animals that are difficult to control and a

stressed elephant is even more likely to behave in an unpredictable manner.

 

 

 

We therefore strongly urge the organisers of these events to stop using

elephants and to find other humane alternatives which do not result in such

serious animal welfare concerns.

 

 

 

*Dave Eastham*

 

*Head of Wildlife *

*WSPA*

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