Renee Chou/別再騎大象 溫馴象羣屈服下的悲歌

Renee Chou/筆者爲NGO作者

四年多前我去了清邁的 Elephant Nature Park當志工,才知道原來藏在溫馴表面下的,是觀光客看不見的血淚與慘無人道的訓練。每次只要看到開心的遊客騎着大象,我只能透過眼神默默在心中幫這些大象打氣,跟他們說聲「對不起,我的同類如此無知,讓你們受苦了」。

世紀前,泰國約有十萬只飼養象,而現在估計只剩2500只了。森林茂密的泰北曾是伐木業聚集處,而力大無比的大象是最好的伐木「工具」。直到1989年,政府禁止伐林,許多大象瞬間「失業」。每天要吃200公斤食物的牠們,對人們來說不只失去利用價值,更成了無比沈重的負擔。被遺棄的大象,有的在荒野自生自滅。有的被偷渡賣到鄰近的柬埔寨、寮國、緬甸,繼續永無天日的伐木勞役。還有一些大象,「轉行」成爲觀光產業小丑,供遊客騎乘、表演馬戲、或是流落曼谷與清邁街頭夜夜乞討,爲主人賺取觀光客好奇的銅板

雖然大象的智商極高,但訓練過程絕對不像人類小朋友才藝課那樣歡樂,反而是日復一日的虐待、反抗,到最後無奈的屈服

象是羣居動物,孕期是哺乳動物中最長的。母象懷胎22個月才能產下小象,在自然環境中,小象會一直跟着媽媽到十四歲左右。但爲了讓象從小服從人類,小象在一歲左右便被迫與媽媽分離,開始接受殘忍的訓練。爲了讓這些巨大的動物聽話,小象被關在大小剛好容身竹籠裡一星期。只要小象不聽話,象夫就會壓擠籠子,讓小象害怕。再來,小象必須學習在背上裝載鞍座。從來沒有載過任何東西的小象一旦反抗,就會被象夫用象鉤刺,叛逆一點的小象甚至會被刺眼睛,直到服從爲止。許多熬不過的小象在訓練中夭折,而撐過去的,終其一生成爲人類的奴隸

正是因爲這樣,許多母象在產下小象時,會將自己的寶寶踩死,只爲了不想讓牠們再過一樣的生活。我們看到「溫馴」架着轎子載人的象、神奇畫出自畫像的象、馬戲團厲害表演的象,就是這樣訓練來的,騎着大象在世界文化遺蹟聽起來多麼浪漫,但是這短短十幾分鐘的旅程,卻是造成他們痛苦一生的原因。下次旅遊前,請記得告訴你的旅行社導遊旅伴你不要騎大象,也抵制任何涉及虐待動物的活動景點。讓我們一起當個負責任的觀光客吧!

抱歉,可能跟一般遊記相比,這文章有點掃興。但還是強烈呼籲大家,旅遊的時候不要再騎大象,或看錶演、或去老虎獅子petting zoo之類的地方了……四年多前我去了清邁的 Elephant Nature Park當志工,才知道原來藏在溫馴表面下的,是觀光客看不見的血淚與慘無人道的訓練。每次只要看到開心的遊客騎着大象,我只能透過眼神默默在心中幫這些大象打氣,跟他們說聲「對不起,我的同類如此無知,讓你們受苦了」一世紀前,泰國約有十萬只飼養象,而現在估計只剩2500只了。森林茂密的泰北曾是伐木業聚集處,而力大無比的大象是最好的伐木「工具」。直到1989年,政府禁止伐林,許多大象瞬間「失業」。每天要吃200公斤食物的牠們,對人們來說不只失去利用價值,更成了無比沈重的負擔。被遺棄的大象,有的在荒野自生自滅。有的被偷渡賣到鄰近的柬埔寨、寮國、緬甸,繼續永無天日的伐木勞役。還有一些大象,「轉行」成爲觀光產業的小丑,供遊客騎乘、表演馬戲、或是流落曼谷與清邁街頭夜夜乞討,爲主人賺取觀光客好奇的銅板。雖然大象的智商極高,但訓練過程絕對不像人類小朋友的才藝課那樣歡樂,反而是日復一日的虐待、反抗,到最後無奈的屈服。象是羣居的動物,孕期是哺乳動物中最長的。母象懷胎22個月才能產下小象,在自然環境中,小象會一直跟着媽媽到十四歲左右。但爲了讓象從小服從人類,小象在一歲左右便被迫與媽媽分離,開始接受殘忍的訓練。爲了讓這些巨大的動物聽話,小象被關在大小剛好容身的竹籠裡一星期。只要小象不聽話,象夫就會壓擠籠子,讓小象害怕。再來,小象必須學習在背上裝載鞍座。從來沒有載過任何東西的小象一旦反抗,就會被象夫用象鉤刺。叛逆一點的小象甚至會被刺眼睛,直到服從爲止。許多熬不過的小象在訓練中夭折,而撐過去的,終其一生成爲人類的奴隸。正是因爲這樣,許多母象在產下小象時,會將自己的寶寶踩死,只爲了不想讓牠們再過一樣的生活。我們看到「溫馴」架着轎子載人的象、神奇畫出自畫像的象、馬戲團厲害表演的象,就是這樣訓練來的。騎着大象在世界文化遺蹟聽起來多麼浪漫,但是這短短十幾分鐘的旅程,卻是造成他們痛苦一生的原因。下次旅遊前,請記得告訴你的旅行社、導遊、旅伴你不要騎大象,也抵制任何涉及虐待動物的活動或景點。讓我們一起當個負責任的觀光客吧!吳哥遊記之後再說,保護大象卡重要Elephant Nature Park 有介紹更多Dear friends, this may not be your typical travel advice, but please, please, please, remove elephant rides from your travel plans. A female elephant goes through 20-24 months of pregnancy to deliver her baby, only to be taken from her shortly after. Baby elephants endure cruel training known as “crushing” to learn to obey his/her mahout. Those elephants you see at circuses, at so-called elephant “schools” painting portraits of themselves, at traveling sites offering rides to people, went through that. Your 10-minute ride is one of the biggest contributing factors to their misery. We can stop this, simply say a resounding “NO!” to such activities, and tell your travel agents, tour guides, friends and family that you do not want to participate in any activities that are associated with animal cruelty. Be an ethical and responsible tourist, and spread the words!Lear more about elephants and what you can do to save them, visit Elephant Nature Park

Elephant Nature Park 有更多介紹Dear friends, this may not be your typical travel advice, but please, please, please, remove elephant rides from your travel plans. A female elephant goes through 20-24 months of pregnancy to deliver her baby, only to be taken from her shortly after. Baby elephants endure cruel training known as “crushing” to learn to obey his/her mahout. Those elephants you see at circuses, at so-called elephant “schools” painting portraits of themselves, at traveling sites offering rides to people, went through that. Your 10-minute ride is one of the biggest contributing factors to their misery.We can stop this, simply say a resounding “NO!” to such activities, and tell your travel agents, tour guides, friends and family that you do not want to participate in any activities that are associated with animal cruelty. Be an ethical and responsible tourist, and spread the words!Lear more about elephants and what you can do to save them, visit Elephant Nature Park

●作者Renee Chou,現爲NGO工作者。此文爲讀者投稿。以上言論代表本報立場。88論壇歡迎網友參與,投稿請寄editor88@ettoday.net