There are around 4,000 elephants living in captivity in Thailand. Their owners, whether operating sanctuaries or traditional businesses, rely on tourism to feed them and With the collapse of tourism in the country, the elephants face starvation.
Save the Elephants Foundation wrote on their Facebook page: "This crisis is both a challenge and a good teacher. It will take a communal effort and resilience to overcome and rebound hopefully into a better world, if wisdom and sound reflection prevail."
As of Wednesday, there were at least 1,771 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Thailand and 12 recorded deaths.
Lek Chailert, founder of the Save Elephant Foundation, told the BBC that if more help doesn't come soon, elephants will starve, or their owners might feel pressure to sell them to less humane outfits, like zoos or the illicit logging business.
Source: Haven Orecchio-Egresitz
