The Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT) has published stunning images showing what an elephant’s body looks like after 25 years of transporting tourists.
Elephants suffer permanent damage to their spine because they have carried dozens of tourists in their lives, and the spine, which should have been curved and high, becomes concave and low.
The association criticizes the mistreatment of these animals, which were not forced to carry such a large weight. “We are posting photos of Pai Lin to let people know that these gentle giants can suffer at the hands of this industry,” the association emphasizes.
Elephants are forced to carry the weight of the tourists and the “driver”, which causes obvious scars. Pai Ling, 71, was rescued in 2007 when she began living in this habitat in Thailand, which is home to over 22 of these mammals, all of whom were not chained.