WFFT's post has accumulated more than 20,000 likes.
A photo of an elephant gaining traction on social media shows the terrible toll tourist rides can take on the creatures. The picture was shared on Instagram by the Wildlife Friends Foundation in Thailand (WFFT). It depicts Pai Lin, a 71-year-old female elephant whose spine has become disfigured after 25 years of working in the tourism industry, where she was forced to carry up to six tourists at a time.
"This photograph shows Pai Lin's spine, which should naturally be rounded and raised, is caved in and sunken from the heavy weight of repeated work," the group wrote. "This continuous pressure on their [Elephants'] bodies can deteriorate the tissue and bones on their back, causing irreversible physical damage to their spine," the group added.
Take a look at WFFT's post below:
WFFT also shared a picture of Boon Chuey, another elephant whose spine was deformed by the tourist rides. "Boon Chuey, is another of WFFT's rescued elephants who also has a damaged back, after decades of strenuous work," the wildlife rescue group said.
Since being shared, WFFT's post has accumulated more than 20,000 likes. In the comment section, several users thanked the organisation for spreading awareness, while others called for an end to tourist rides.
"Thank you for making this story go worldwide, hopefully people will understand why this is cruel and not to ride elephants or contribute to any kind of cruelty," wrote one user. "Absolutely horrific and all for the amusement of humans. These poor creatures, that share our planet, and yet are supposed to be at the beck-and-call of people. This is beyond sad, and cruel and simply must stop," commented another.
A third user said, "We have no right to use animals for our entertainment... elephants are wild social animals who have the right to be free with their families." A fourth simply added, "Horrific.. makes my heart bleed".
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Meanwhile, speaking to CNN, the group said as elephant rides are a popular tourist activity in countries across Southeast Asia, they spend decades of their lives carrying tourists on a cast iron seat that is strapped to their backs with ropes and blankets. The weight of these seats and passengers can irreversibly cave in and sink the animal's backs. Both Pai Lin and Boon Chuey still carry scars from the pressure points of the seats on their backs, the group told the outlet.
"It's important to understand that elephants, unlike horses, are not bred to be ridden. They are not domesticated animals and are taken from the wild and kept in awful conditions," Edwin Wiek, director and founder of the WFFT, said.
Mr Wiek also added that the group was sharing Pai Lin's story to raise awareness about elephant cruelty and remind people never to ride them, as tourism returned to the country following the Covid pandemic.