Renee Chou/别再骑大象 温驯象群屈服下的悲歌
四年多前我去了清迈的 Elephant Nature Park当志工,才知道原来藏在温驯表面下的,是观光客看不见的血泪与惨无人道的训练。每次只要看到开心的游客骑着大象,我只能透过眼神默默在心中帮这些大象打气,跟他们说声「对不起,我的同类如此无知,让你们受苦了」。
一世纪前,泰国约有十万只饲养象,而现在估计只剩2500只了。森林茂密的泰北曾是伐木业聚集处,而力大无比的大象是最好的伐木「工具」。直到1989年,政府禁止伐林,许多大象瞬间「失业」。每天要吃200公斤食物的牠们,对人们来说不只失去利用价值,更成了无比沈重的负担。被遗弃的大象,有的在荒野自生自灭。有的被偷渡卖到邻近的柬埔寨、寮国、缅甸,继续永无天日的伐木劳役。还有一些大象,「转行」成为观光产业的小丑,供游客骑乘、表演马戏、或是流落曼谷与清迈街头夜夜乞讨,为主人赚取观光客好奇的铜板。
虽然大象的智商极高,但训练过程绝对不像人类小朋友的才艺课那样欢乐,反而是日复一日的虐待、反抗,到最后无奈的屈服。
象是群居的动物,孕期是哺乳动物中最长的。母象怀胎22个月才能产下小象,在自然环境中,小象会一直跟着妈妈到十四岁左右。但为了让象从小服从人类,小象在一岁左右便被迫与妈妈分离,开始接受残忍的训练。为了让这些巨大的动物听话,小象被关在大小刚好容身的竹笼里一星期。只要小象不听话,象夫就会压挤笼子,让小象害怕。再来,小象必须学习在背上装载鞍座。从来没有载过任何东西的小象一旦反抗,就会被象夫用象钩刺,叛逆一点的小象甚至会被刺眼睛,直到服从为止。许多熬不过的小象在训练中夭折,而撑过去的,终其一生成为人类的奴隶。
正是因为这样,许多母象在产下小象时,会将自己的宝宝踩死,只为了不想让牠们再过一样的生活。我们看到「温驯」架着轿子载人的象、神奇画出自画像的象、马戏团厉害表演的象,就是这样训练来的,骑着大象在世界文化遗迹听起来多么浪漫,但是这短短十几分钟的旅程,却是造成他们痛苦一生的原因。下次旅游前,请记得告诉你的旅行社、导游、旅伴你不要骑大象,也抵制任何涉及虐待动物的活动或景点。让我们一起当个负责任的观光客吧!
抱歉,可能跟一般游记相比,这文章有点扫兴。但还是强烈呼吁大家,旅游的时候不要再骑大象,或看表演、或去老虎狮子petting zoo之类的地方了……四年多前我去了清迈的 Elephant Nature Park当志工,才知道原来藏在温驯表面下的,是观光客看不见的血泪与惨无人道的训练。每次只要看到开心的游客骑着大象,我只能透过眼神默默在心中帮这些大象打气,跟他们说声「对不起,我的同类如此无知,让你们受苦了」一世纪前,泰国约有十万只饲养象,而现在估计只剩2500只了。森林茂密的泰北曾是伐木业聚集处,而力大无比的大象是最好的伐木「工具」。直到1989年,政府禁止伐林,许多大象瞬间「失业」。每天要吃200公斤食物的牠们,对人们来说不只失去利用价值,更成了无比沈重的负担。被遗弃的大象,有的在荒野自生自灭。有的被偷渡卖到邻近的柬埔寨、寮国、缅甸,继续永无天日的伐木劳役。还有一些大象,「转行」成为观光产业的小丑,供游客骑乘、表演马戏、或是流落曼谷与清迈街头夜夜乞讨,为主人赚取观光客好奇的铜板。虽然大象的智商极高,但训练过程绝对不像人类小朋友的才艺课那样欢乐,反而是日复一日的虐待、反抗,到最后无奈的屈服。象是群居的动物,孕期是哺乳动物中最长的。母象怀胎22个月才能产下小象,在自然环境中,小象会一直跟着妈妈到十四岁左右。但为了让象从小服从人类,小象在一岁左右便被迫与妈妈分离,开始接受残忍的训练。为了让这些巨大的动物听话,小象被关在大小刚好容身的竹笼里一星期。只要小象不听话,象夫就会压挤笼子,让小象害怕。再来,小象必须学习在背上装载鞍座。从来没有载过任何东西的小象一旦反抗,就会被象夫用象钩刺。叛逆一点的小象甚至会被刺眼睛,直到服从为止。许多熬不过的小象在训练中夭折,而撑过去的,终其一生成为人类的奴隶。正是因为这样,许多母象在产下小象时,会将自己的宝宝踩死,只为了不想让牠们再过一样的生活。我们看到「温驯」架着轿子载人的象、神奇画出自画像的象、马戏团厉害表演的象,就是这样训练来的。骑着大象在世界文化遗迹听起来多么浪漫,但是这短短十几分钟的旅程,却是造成他们痛苦一生的原因。下次旅游前,请记得告诉你的旅行社、导游、旅伴你不要骑大象,也抵制任何涉及虐待动物的活动或景点。让我们一起当个负责任的观光客吧!吴哥游记之后再说,保护大象卡重要Elephant Nature Park 有介绍更多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 有更多介绍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,现为NGO工作者。此文为读者投稿。以上言论不代表本报立场。88论坛欢迎网友参与,投稿请寄editor88@ettoday.net