Most captive elephants in Nepal were abducted from their natural environment and families as a baby, cruelly trained, illegally smuggled into Nepal from India, and are currently abused for the entertainment of unsuspecting tourists.  Every captive elephant that you may have ridden, taken a selfie with, had a bath with, watched playing polo, and numerous other activities, has been subjected to a cruel training process known as the 'crush', where their spirit is literally crushed into submission.

The elephants carry the physical and mental scars of being separated from their family and the training  for the rest of their lives. 

 Captive elephants spend their lives bound in chains, deprived of the ability to express their natural instincts, spending almost all of their day carrying people,  which their backs are not designed for.  In Nepal, if not giving rides to people they are chained in one place alone in poor conditions. Many elephants in Nepal are fed an unnatural diet of old rice straw and rice instead of the over 100 different species of plants they would eat in the wild 

 Wild animals are just that, wild. They are not to be tamed for the whimsical desires of humans. Promoting such unethical activity only invites shame and will have a detrimental effect on Nepal's tourism industry. 

By signing this petition, you will lend your voice to urge the concerned authorities to take necessary actions in phasing out this archaic and inhumane practice by gradually transferring all captive elephants into the sanctuary model, where they can live out the rest of their lives chain and burden free. At a time when Asian elephants face threats due to habitat loss, promoting the continued mistreatment of these elephants goes against the very ethos of preserving these endangered animals.

The sanctuary model will not only provide a safe haven for these beautiful beings, but also enable their mahouts to continue their livelihood by looking after the elephants. Visitors to the sanctuaries can learn about these fascinating animals while they live a natural and peaceful life. And all of the people who benefit from tourists in Sauraha will benefit from the new model of elephant tourism . The sanctuary model will be economically sound for the elephant owners who will reap benefit without exploiting the elephants. It will be as exciting for the visitors and enthusiasts who wish to learn more about the natural world but without partaking in exploitation and it will be as beneficial for the Mahouts who will be granted with better facilities and respect that they deserve.

We strongly recommend the following actions:

1. Immediately stop the buying/selling/smuggling of elephants between India and Nepal. 

Enforce the  international laws that make it illegal for elephants to cross national borders without permission from CITES. (The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)

2) Establish an Elephant Welfare Board which will oversee the enforcement of the Working Animal Welfare Directive (2017) and the stopping of elephant rides and baths and transition into the sanctuary model.  

3) Agree upon a timeline to phase out the captivity, private ownership of elephants and change current businesses with elephants into a sanctuary model where they can live a natural life and visitors can learn about them in their natural habitat, from a distance. 

Thank you for your support! #refusetoride