හදිසී ත්‍රස්තවාදී ප්‍රහාරයකදී මම සහ මගේ පවුල ආරක්ෂා කරගන්නේ කෙසේද?

Please Don't Ride Our Elephants

Dear tourists

It is true that our so-called national airline and tourism board also told you that you can enjoy elephant back rides during your visit to Sri Lanka. But it is not.

We as a nation we respect our nature and consider our elephants as a treasure. The population of elephants and tuskers in the wild is getting less due to many reasons possibly letting us fight for protecting them. So please don't ride them.

You will see our wild elephants in the wild beautifully because of the series of efforts and courage of people who tried to protect them in the wild. They loved and still loving the nature. You will realize the beauty of the wild elephant in our national parks. They are more beautiful and free in the jungle. So please don't think of riding them.

Riding an elephant is an animal cruelty. They are chained for the whole lifetime, no family or kids or even a mating partner when they want. Not enough food or water when they are hungry, sometimes these hotels occupying them throughout the day to satisfy their visitors. No enough nutrition in their food so they get sick easily and die soon. Never get a chance to enjoy in the green forest, bathing in a natural pool, playing with their herds. Why do you want to involve in such a cruelty? So please don't create a demand for elephant rides.

Tourists hotels use elephant rides basically to attract your money hoping that you are aware of an animal cruelty. Do you really need to involve with an animal cruelty? Please don't book hotels in Sri Lanka who provide elephant rides. Please don't take the service of tourists guides or traveling agencies who included elephant rides in their package. There are so much worthy things you can do by spending the same money in Sri Lanka. Please spend your money worthily, don't ride our elephants.

Sri Lankan government is spineless, they never take action to ban elephant back rides. That is why we request this from you. Please do not ride our elephants. When there is no demand there is no supply too. Riding an elephant is not an adventure. Their body structure is not capably built to keep you in their back and ride. Elephants are innocent which does not mean that you can ride them.

Please don't ride our elephants. They are more beautiful in the wild without chains.

By Kalpana Ambepitiya

Lecturer

General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University