Elephants are a token symbol of Asian and African tourism, and if you’re an animal lover and travel junkie, seeing an elephant IRL is usually at the top of your bucket list. It’s common to see photos of tourists bathing, riding, or taking selfies with these gentle giants, yet more often than not these elephants are being exploited and mistreated for the sake of tourism.
Want to volunteer to help elephants? Here’s how to do it ethically.
There’s a resounding number of unethical organizations out there that put these beloved creatures in danger. That’s where you come in.
You may be wondering, where can I volunteer with elephants? Is it ethical to volunteer with elephants? And the answer is, it can be!
Volunteering with elephants can help to preserve this endangered species and help them re-acclimate to the wild, but it’s always important to that is making a positive impact. Here you’ll find the best places to .
Is it ethical to volunteer with elephants?
Before you can with elephants, it’s important to consider ethics. Elephants have been domesticated and used for trekking and logging in Southeast Asian countries for decades. On top of that, they are often used to attract tourists across the big cities in Asia and Africa.
In both cases, they’re forced to leave their natural habitat, and they’re often mistreated, malnourished, and injured from carrying massive amounts of weight on their backs day after day.
So how do you weave out the unethical organizations from the ethical ones? Do your research.
Unethical organizations often feature elephant riding, bathing, or circus shows. They encourage human contact, take the animals from their natural habitats, and often aren’t transparent about their questionable ethics.
On the other hand, ethical volunteering involves programs that have the best interests of the elephants at heart over the interests of the volunteers. They often involve rehabilitation, research, and conservation, and the elephants will have space to roam freely in the wild or semi-wild. Elephant orphanages and sanctuaries are often the with elephants ethically.
Where can I volunteer with elephants?
Hey, you! Yes, you! Come learn where to volunteer with elephants the ethical way.
Elephants are native to the African and Asian continents, so the best places to volunteer with elephants fall across these regions. Most ethical organizations are outside of the big cities where elephants can roam freely, meaning you’ll not only get the opportunity to make a difference for these enormous creatures, but you’ll also have the chance to see the raw, wild beauty of some of the most unique travel destinations in the world.
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In Thailand, elephants are worshiped like gods. They’re an integral part of the culture, and if you’ve been to Thailand, you’ve undoubtedly seen people all over the country sporting flowy, colorful elephant pants and singlets. After all, elephants are the unofficial symbol of Thailand.
Thailand boasts beautiful sacred temples, the most welcoming locals, and sweet, spicy cuisine—but its one downfall is the countless unethical organizations that use elephants as tourist attractions. Luckily, it’s also one of the with elephants in rehabilitation.
Volunteers will have the opportunity to live in remote Thai villages and learn about the culture and language, all while supporting local mahouts in reintegrating elephants relieved from tourism and logging back into their natural forest habitats. often involves recording elephant behavior data, learning biodiversity management, and spending free time visiting golden temples and exploring the lush Thai jungle.
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Like Thailand, elephants are an integral part of Cambodian culture. Visit the UNESCO World Heritage site of Angkor Wat and you’ll find this beloved beast intricately carved all over the temples throughout. Cambodia also draws in tourists by showing them images of riding elephants majestically into the sunset with a breathtaking ancient temple backdrop, but the reality is the “taming” of these elephants strips them from their homes, causes physical distress, and is unhealthy for the elephants.
If you’re wondering, where can I volunteer with elephants in Cambodia?, your options are endless. Volunteering in Cambodia will bring you out of the chaos of the cities and into sanctuaries where you can participate in observation of elephants in their natural forest environment, community development, planting trees for reforestation, building salt blocks and nesting boxes, and making signage for the organizations. Many are also education-based, so you can spread the knowledge about elephant conservation to the local population, too.
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The research and conservation you do while volunteering will go a long way for this little one.
In African cultures, elephants are a symbol of power and strength. South Africa’s coat of arms even uses elephant tusks to represent wisdom, strength, moderation, and eternity, showing us how important these animals are to their culture. Despite being a powerful symbol, the tourism industry in South Africa often mistreats the African elephant, and it has become one of the most vulnerable species on the African continent.
at an elephant orphanage in South Africa is common and often involves research, data collection, animal identification, and conservation. Many sanctuaries protect them from poaching, starvation, and misinformed culling, so you’ll with elephants in South Africa.
Another perk? Not only will you get to witness wild roaming elephants, but you’re likely to experience the rest of the Big Five, too—hello lions, buffalo, rhinoceros, and leopards!
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Once known as the “Land of a Million Elephants,” Laos now only has thousands of these beautiful creatures due to the prevalence of poaching and logging work. If you’re considering where to volunteer with elephants in Laos, you’ll have plenty of options. This tiny landlocked country squeezed between Thailand and Vietnam has many ethical volunteer organizations that focus on giving elephants a second chance.
As a volunteer in Laos, you’ll have the privilege of exploring a less populated with an ethnically diverse population and rice paddies galore, while focusing on conservation and rehabilitation efforts. Volunteer placements here involve caring for elephant injuries and illnesses, rehabilitating mistreated elephants into the wild, and improving the quality of life of not just of the elephants, but the locals too.
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When you’re not collaborating with local organizations, you’ll have the chance to explore awe-inspiring places.
This island off the southern tip of India boasts a large population of elephants in the wild, all across their famous Udawalawe National Park and Wasgamuwa National Park. Sri Lanka is not typically your go-to destination for elephant riding and tourism, but the elephant population is still in need of volunteers.
, you’ll get to collaborate with local organizations to contribute to elephant conservation, community outreach, and wildlife research. You may not get the chance to have direct interaction with elephants while volunteering in Sri Lanka, but that’s what makes it ethical! Instead, you’ll be able to immerse yourself in Sri Lankan culture, visit ancient ruins, and get lost in the national parks, all while making a positive impact on the local elephant and Sri Lankan communities.
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India is another hotspot for elephant rides and selfies. Unfortunately, it’s one of the top destinations using elephants in tourism, whether they are working at temples or acting as props for tourists to paint. focus on rehabilitation and community development to ensure the elephants have safe places to live and integrate back into the wild after retiring from the tourism industry.
While some volunteer programs lure in volunteers with offers to bathe and ride elephants, it’s important to steer clear of these. Instead, the best places to volunteer with elephants in India will have you lending a hand at reforestation and water conservation to restore the biological richness that helps native species survive and flourish. These opportunities also typically include working with local children and communities in eco-education.
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One of the biggest threats to elephants in Kenya is the ivory trading industry. Unfortunately, all across the country, baby elephants are orphaned when their mothers are poached for their tusks. On top of that, wildlife in general has suffered deeply in Kenya due to the increase in human settlement. While there are programs where you can foster an elephant for a year and receive regular updates on their wellbeing until they’re released back into the wild, it’s often more rewarding to .
Sign up to support conservation efforts, stay for the chance to witness a wonder of the world.
As a volunteer in Kenya, you’ll have the opportunity to join conservation efforts to observe, conduct research, and assist in teaching and community development to protect Kenyan wildlife. If you’re lucky, you might even get to witness one of the seven natural wonders of the world—the Great Migration across the Maasai Mara Reserve bordering Tanzania.
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Zimbabwe may not be the first destination that comes to mind when you think of volunteering abroad, but it’s still one of the best places to volunteer with elephants in Africa. Due to food and water scarcity, deforestation, and poaching, here. Most of the wildlife across this region is dependent on volunteers and conservation initiatives, elephants included.
Volunteering in Zimbabwe may not have you up close and personal with elephants, but instead you’ll be able to observe the elephant population from afar while assisting with game park management, community outreach, and anti-poaching initiatives—all of which will contribute to saving these beloved animals from extinction.
Volunteer with elephants ethically and change your life!
Ethical volunteering can make a positive impact on your life—and above all, the lives of the elephants you want to support.
You don’t have to give up with elephants just because of the unethical organizations out there. Instead, if you and read program reviews, you’ll find that ethical programs exist and can make a truly positive impact. Can you hear the elephants calling you? Volunteer with elephants ethically and you’ll change not only their lives, but yours, too!
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