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The Angkor Wat temple complex in Siem Reap is a major attraction for foreign tourists visiting Cambodia. In 2018, it received 6 million visitors, and a large number of them wanted to experience riding elephants around the ancient temples.
But these trips "will end in early 2020," said Long Kosal, spokesman for Apsara, the agency that manages the elephant population. "Using elephants for business is no longer appropriate," he told AFP, adding that some of the elephants are "old."
Using animals as a means of transportation for sightseeing is a popular service in many countries around the world.
Cambodia has long faced strong opposition from animal rights groups for its elephant riding tours for tourists. This service is also quite popular in several other Southeast Asian countries.
The wave of criticism peaked in 2016 when a female elephant died on the roadside after carrying tourists around the Angkor Wat complex in scorching hot weather. The elephant had worked continuously for 45 minutes before dying.
The elephants always obediently "work," even though they still show signs of fatigue in their eyes.
Currently, five of the 14 elephants working at Angkor Wat have been moved to a forest about 40 km from the temple. According to Mr. Long Kosal, these elephants will live their natural lives in the forest, and the company that owns them will continue to care for them.
