Are you contributing to animal abuse? Attractions to avoid on your next holiday

Shocking behaviour from tourists highlights cruelty to animals in the region, but the abuse isn’t always obvious. From selfies to swimming with dolphins, these are the activities that animal welfare experts urge us to steer clear of

Reading Time:4 minutes

A 17-year-old Sumatran tiger with her newborn cub inside a cage at Medan zoo park in North Sumatra, Indonesia. Photo: Xinhua/Tanto H.

Published: 10:45am, 29 Feb 2016Updated: 11:04am, 29 Feb 2016

“The only truly humane animal attraction is to observe animals within the wild without interfering in their natural behaviours,” says David Neale, of Animals Asia Foundation. “Every other use of animals is going to compromise their welfare in some manner.”

Animal-related activities are common across Asia, from elephant rides in Thailand and performing bears on the streets of China, to monkeys at Cambodian markets and swimming with dolphins at private resorts. However, experts warn these animals are often abused, starved and kept in inhumane conditions, all for the sake of a show.

Shocking behaviour from tourists has further fuelled fears of animal abuse abroad. On February 1, a British man was gored to death by a distressed elephant at a safari camp on the Thai island of Koh Samui. Little more than a week later, a rare peacock died of shock after Chinese tourists were photographed manhandling it at Yunnan Wild Animal Park, China.

Tourists ride a rare Aldabra giant tortoise in China.

In April last year, several starfish died within three weeks of a Shanghai museum opening after being removed by visitors for selfies. The next month, a family sparked outrage riding on the back of a rare Aldabra giant tortoise at China’s Haicang Wildlife Zoo.

“People also need to take ownership,” says Dr Fiona Woodhouse, deputy director (welfare) at the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals HK.

As tourism continues to rise, experts are urging visitors to steer clear of these attractions.