General

Indonesia has made it illegal to offer elephant rides across the country, ending a popular tourist activity that has been part of the landscape for many years. This significant decision follows a shocking investigation by PETA Asia, which revealed serious allegations of animal mistreatment at Bali's leading elephant parks just three months earlier. The parks involved have strongly rejected these claims, calling them "ridiculous and untrue." Last November, news.com.au reported on PETA's findings regarding Mason Elephant Park in Ubud and Baka’s Adventure Elephant Safari in Klungkung Regency, which suggested these well-known parks were using outdated methods to punish and treat elephants. PETA stated, “These attractions market themselves to tourists as ‘rescues’, yet the footage tells a different story: elephants swaying from stress, left wounded from repeated strikes and chained up for most of the day.” The parks were accused of using bullhooks, chaining the elephants, breaking their spirits for entertainment, and isolating them. Additionally, the World Animal Protection Organization pointed out that while Mason Elephant Park claimed to be Bali’s only dedicated rescue facility, it hadn't rescued an elephant since 2004. In a thirty-minute video shared with news.com.au on December 31, Mason Elephant Park owner Nigel Mason dismissed the allegations as “ridiculous and untrue.” He stated, “It’s obvious that you have never been to this park, and it’s quite obvious that your quotations from using PETA as an example of a story, they’ve never been here either. I’ve never met anyone from your company. I’ve never met anyone from PETA.” Mr. Mason also asserted that the elephant rides provided by the park were actually a type of “exercise” for the animals and claimed they were “not cruel in any way.”