Thousands of Asian elephants remain in captive working and tourism contexts with serious welfare challenges.
Captive Asian elephants occupy a complex space — many are owned by families or communities who have worked with elephants for generations, and the economics of elephant keeping are deeply entwined with cultural identity. However, the welfare costs of traditional training methods and tourism labor are severe and well-documented. The collapse of elephant tourism during COVID-19 revealed the fragility of the sanctuary model when it depends on continuous tourist revenue. Long-term solutions require alternative economic models that provide for elephants without exploiting them.