Bali Zoo Ends Elephant Rides, Marking Landmark Progress for Animal Welfare
In a significant development for animal welfare and responsible tourism in Indonesia, Bali Zoo has officially ended its elephant riding activities. This decision reflects a growing recognition that such practices cause considerable harm to elephants and represents a positive shift in the treatment of captive wildlife.
Elephant riding has long been criticised due to the harsh training methods often employed to make elephants accept close human contact, which typically involve fear and pain. Additionally, these elephants are frequently kept in confined conditions that restrict their natural behaviors and social interactions. Investigations by animal welfare groups have repeatedly highlighted the suffering endured by elephants used for entertainment in Bali’s tourism industry.
The move by Bali Zoo follows similar actions taken by other venues such as TSI Bogor, TSI Prigen, and A’Famosa, which ceased offering elephant rides in 2024. It also enjoys the backing of prominent organisations including the Southeast Asian Zoos and Aquariums Association, which publicly opposes elephant riding. In December 2025, the Bali Province Conservation and Natural Resources Agency urged tourist attractions to treat elephants with greater respect and discontinue riding activities.
Despite this encouraging progress, some establishments in Bali, including Mason Elephant Park, still offer elephant riding. Animal welfare advocates warn that as long as such rides continue, elephants will remain vulnerable to mistreatment.
World Animal Protection, the organisation behind years of advocacy and research on this issue, emphasises the role travellers can play by choosing responsible wildlife experiences that prioritise animal welfare. They advise tourists to avoid venues offering rides, shows, or bathing with elephants and to observe these animals from a safe distance in naturalistic settings. Booking with travel companies committed to ethical practices can contribute to ending the exploitation of elephants for entertainment.
The decision by Bali Zoo marks a vital step toward transforming wildlife tourism in the region, encouraging other venues to follow suit and align with evolving community values and responsible tourism standards. Continued efforts by governments, the tourism sector, and animal welfare groups aim to ensure that elephant exploitation in tourism becomes a thing of the past, fostering a new norm of wildlife-friendly travel.
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