| Source : World Animal Protection | Saturday, October 4, 2014 11:00AM IST (5:30AM GMT)  | | | | India's Holiday Makers Unwittingly Supporting Suffering of Wild Animals in Tourism | | | | New Delhi, Delhi, India | On World Animal Day (Saturday 4 October) World Animal Protection is exposing the hidden suffering of wild animals used in the tourism entertainment industry, in travel destinations frequented by Indian tourists both at home and overseas.
The world’s worst wild animal attractions: elephant rides, taking selfies with tigers, walking with lions, swimming with dolphins and dancing macaques are part of too many holidays. Yet tourists from around the world, including India, remain unaware of the cruelty that goes on behind the scenes.
Global research carried out for World Animal Protection highlights the startling truth that 57% of people in India pay for a wild animal experience because they love animals. Over 80% of people in India also believe that wild animals belong in the wild. Yet sadly, tourists are unwittingly contributing to the suffering of wild animals because they are simply not aware that their ‘once in a lifetime’ experience means a lifetime of misery for wild animals.
World Animal Protection, which has campaigned successfully to stop the cruelty of bear dancing in India, as well as Greece and Turkey, is revealing today’s worst abuses of wild animals in tourism, so holiday makers know about the truth behind the scenes before they book.
Tourists might think riding an elephant or walking with lions does no harm. But the brutal truth is that breaking these animals’ spirits to the point where they allow humans to interact with them involves cruelty at every turn; snatching them from their parents in the wild or breeding them in captivity; transporting them; keeping them in isolation and beating them to break their wills. That is why World Animal Protection is launching this new global campaign to keep wild animals in the wild.
World Animal Protection’s India Country Director Gajender Sharma said: “The need to raise awareness in India of the suffering endured by wild animals in the tourism industry is highlighted by attitudes to one of India’s most loved and revered wild animals – the elephant. Our research shows that 64% of people in India think that riding an elephant is acceptable.
 “Despite India moving in the right direction by ending the cruel tradition of bear dancing and introducing legislation for captive elephants; many people here – and around the world – still simply don’t realise that that animal entertainment is animal abuse.
“At home or overseas, it makes no difference, wild animals belong in the wild. Now that people know the truth we’re calling for them to help us raise awareness and end this animal cruelty once and for all.”
Go to www.beforetheybook.org to learn more about World Animal Protection’s campaign and how to stop the cruelty facing wild animals in entertainment.
Notes to editors
For file footage, images or to request an interview with World Animal Protection’s Country Director Gajender Sharma, please contact: SharmisthaC@worldanimalprotection.org.in or call +91 9650202612 or write to LeahSlattery@worldanimalprotection.org
The Show Can’t Go On – a special report by World Animal Protection highlights five of the worst wild animal abuses in the name of entertainment that are taking place across the world today. For copies of the report email: SharmisthaC@worldanimalprotection.org.in or LeahSlattery@worldanimalprotection.org
Attitudes towards animals in tourism in India:
While people want to see an end to animals suffering for entertainment, attitudes vary about what is acceptable:
- 82% agreed that wild animals belong in the wild
- When asked why they had included an experience with a wild animal in their holiday – whether it be riding on an elephant’s back, taking a ‘tiger selfie’ or looking at animals in a zoo – 57% surveyed said it was because they love animals
- Sadly, people saw cruelty to wild animals on their holidays and it was witnessed in particular by Asian and American tourists. Worryingly, though, more than a third of people (36%) ignored the cruelty or took part
- The poll revealed varying attitudes to different types of wild animal entertainment: 55% of people thought swimming with dolphins was acceptable, 64% thought the same about riding elephants while 49% said watching a show or performance involving wild animals is acceptable, with almost 60% saying it was acceptable to have a selfie taken with a wild animal such as a tiger or a monkey
- People would like to see an end to animals suffering in the name of entertainment; a vast majority (83%) agreed that tour operators should avoid activities that cause suffering to wild animals. However, 39% admitted that finding the best value holiday took precedence over the welfare of the animals when making their decision.
Opinion poll: - The opinion poll, Wild Animals in Entertainment Global Report, was carried out by TNS BMRB and presented to World Animal Protection on 18 September 2014. Data was collected online, using TNS online omnibus and weighted to be representative by age, gender and region within country
- A total of 13,000 people were surveyed across fourteen countries: 1,000 each in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, India, Netherlands, Sweden, Thailand and the United States, and 500 each in New Zealand and South Africa.
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