Cambodia Will Ban Elephant Rides At Angkor Wat In 2020

Via Angkor Exploring Tour

Say goodbye to elephant rides at  the famous Angkor Wat temple.

Starting 2020 elephant rides will no longer be available for tourists visiting Cambodia’s famous destination.

The ban comes after two elephants collapsed and died while carrying tourists on its back. One elephant died in 2016, while the other died in 2018 due to exhaustion.

Via Huffington Post UK

Their deaths caught international attention and prompted a petition calling for a stop on elephant rides. Within 2 days the petition gained over 14,000 signatures to prevent the animal cruelty.

Thanks to the petition, the Angkor Elephant Group Committee now says,

“They (tourists) can still watch the elephants and take photos of them in our conservation and breeding centre. We want the elephants to live in as natural a manner as possible.”

What are your thoughts on the ban?

Source: Metro