ABTA ANIMAL WELFARE GUIDELINES SPECIFIC GUIDANCE MANUAL Elephants in Captive Environments Welcome to the online version of this Best Practice Handbook. Use the interactive navigation to guide your way through the manual. ENTER NOW ©2013 ABTA Introduction Animal attractions and experiences are now a common part of holiday destinations and are Intended use of this guidance generally very popular with holiday makers. Customer surveys have shown many of the travelling public aspire to see or interact with animals. Yet research and experience also demonstrate that customers want to be assured of good animal welfare standards (YouGov 2012). This guidance manual is one of a series of seven manuals intended to be a This guidance manual outlines the minimum requirements that travel providers working with practical guide for the suppliers of animal experiences and attractions offered these manuals expect to see in place from captive elephant attractions. Additionally, it provides best practice recommendations that captive elephant attractions should strive to achieve. within the tourism industry. All seven guidance manuals aim to encourage good practice in animal protection and welfare by providing businesses with As the number of enterprises has grown, so too has our understanding of the animals featured and the potential impacts of human/animal interaction. Strong relationships exist between knowledge and guidance. travel providers and suppliers; it is important that all stakeholders work collectively to enable enterprises to offer meaningful, rewarding experiences to customers whilst at the same time, The manuals include a benchmark for best Guidance manual overview safeguarding the welfare of the animals and public health and safety. This approach can achieve practice in animal welfare for the tourism and longer-term business success, raise welfare standards across the industry and strengthen the animal attractions industries globally. They There are seven manuals within the series: partnerships that exist between travel providers and animal related attractions. consolidate an abundance of existing guidance and they establish minimum requirements Global Welfare Guidance for This document is one of a series and should be read in conjunction with the Global Welfare that are supported by travel providers. As Animals in Tourism Guidance for Animals in Tourism. such, they are intended for travel providers to The Global Welfare Guidance for Animals in issue to their suppliers, for tourist boards in Tourism provides an introduction to animal Authorship destinations, for destination governments and welfare and an overview of best practice that This manual and the supporting six guidance manuals have been developed by ABTA working ultimately and most importantly, for animal is applicable to all businesses and attractions in partnership with our consultative partner, the Born Free Foundation and have been further attraction and experience suppliers. within the tourism industry involving animals. It covers: developed through a multi-stakeholder consultation process involving industry experts, scientists, All seven manuals are by no means intended zoologist organisations, associations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) from around to be the definitive source of information • An insight into the different ways in the world. A list of stakeholders is included in Appendix 2: Acknowledgements. It is important to about managing animal welfare considerations which animals and tourism are linked point out that the content of these manuals does not necessarily reflect the exact views of the in animal attractions. We recognise that • Minimum welfare requirements for listed individuals or organisations. All stakeholders have, however, seen merit in these guidance there is a great deal of variation in available animal attractions manuals and provided invaluable input during the consultation. ABTA extends its appreciation to standards around the world and that for all the stakeholders for their contributions. many businesses the manuals will contain • Reference to specific welfare needs commonly known information, but for others of commonly managed species. Licensing and certification they will likely serve as a useful reference It sets out guidance around animal husbandry regarding best practice for animal welfare. and care designed to improve animal welfare Animal attractions should be operating legally and in accordance with their country’s own legal In all instances of uncertainty, we encourage and to phase out inappropriate practices requirements. If appropriate to the country of operation, the animal attraction should have a suppliers to seek further advice from a suitably known to have negative impacts on animals. valid operating licence issued by a recognised certification agency or relevant local authority. qualified individual or organisation. ELEPHANTS IN CAPTIVE ENVIRONMENTS: A Best Practice Guidance Manual ©2013 ABTA Specific guidance manuals Unacceptable and Certain activities involving animals and In addition, five specific guidance manuals Discouraged Practices customers have been publicly criticised as KEY POINTS cover a variety of activities commonly detrimental to animal welfare. Though there is currently a lack of conclusive evidence, there encountered through tourism. These manuals The final manual in the series relates to is a risk that such activities are detrimental • Unacceptable practices are are intended to guide suppliers to achieve the practices involving animals which have to welfare. We have therefore classified these known to have a detrimental minimum requirements for each of the specific been classified as either unacceptable or activities as ‘discouraged’. effect on animal welfare. activity types, besides encouraging progress discouraged by the travel providers working towards the best practice outlined. with these guidance manuals. All discouraged activities are introduced in • Discouraged practices may this manual (see page 13) and more details pose a risk to tourist health Specific guidance is available for: Unacceptable practices are in the specific manual, Unacceptable and and safety and/or a possible • Animals in Captive Environments Certain activities are widely recognised Discouraged Practices. risk to animal welfare. • Dolphins in Captive Environments as having a detrimental impact on animal • Animal attractions welfare, and in some cases, may present a Minimum requirements and best should comply with the • Elephants in Captive Environments high risk to visitor and staff safety. These practice guidelines minimum requirements • Wildlife Viewing activities have therefore been classified as for animal welfare. ‘unacceptable’. Travel providers working with • Working Animals. This and the other six guidance manuals • We encourage animal these guidance manuals have agreed that contain a set of minimum requirements This specific guide is for Elephants in attractions to aim for best these activities should not be offered for sale intended to be the benchmark for the Captive Environments and covers minimum practice in animal welfare. to customers. minimum acceptable level of animal welfare requirements expected by travel providers • All seven manuals are in tourism activities. As a supplier reading working with this manual. It also provides Discouraged practices compatible with audited these manuals, you are strongly advised to best practice guidance that suppliers of Some activities involving animals and people industry standards. ensure that you can easily demonstrate that captive elephant attractions are encouraged may pose health and safety risks. Suppliers your business complies with the minimum to achieve. of activities involving animals and people requirements. Travel providers working with should consider and effectively manage both these manuals have committed to these Audits and inspections the welfare of the animals and the health and minimum requirements and will be developing safety of visitors and staff. Travel providers procedures to check that suppliers comply We recognise that many animal attraction working with these guidance manuals will only and are continually striving for performance suppliers are members of trade bodies and consider promoting animal based activities improvements. These manuals contain associations that already have membership which are classified as discouraged practices examples of realistic and achievable best requirements relating to animal welfare best where they are satisfied that the risks to practice guidelines for animal welfare in practice and that many inspect their members animal welfare and the health and safety of tourism-related attractions and activities. to ensure these requirements are met. customers are managed appropriately. The Global Welfare Guidance for Animals in Tourism upholds internationally-accepted standards in animal welfare and legislation and is therefore compatible with existing industry standards. Audited suppliers should be able to demonstrate compliance with these minimum requirements. ELEPHANTS IN CAPTIVE ENVIRONMENTS: A Best Practice Guidance Manual ©2013 ABTA ELEPHANTS IN CAPTIVE ENVIRONMENTS: A Best Practice Guidance Manual ©2013 ABTA Use the interactive coloured tabs on the this page to navigate the manual. SECTION ONE: What is animal welfare? SECTION TWO: Elephant species overview Potential impacts – animal welfare, species SECTION THREE: conservation and customer health and safety SECTION FOUR: Potential impacts – capture, training,