Asian elephants used in timber logging in Myanmar and other countries face welfare suffering from harsh training methods, overwork, and inadequate veterinary care in some operations.
Asian logging elephant welfare varies significantly between operations and countries. Myanmar's government-managed herd, which has been scientifically studied over decades, provides some of the best longitudinal welfare data available for working elephants. Traditional training methods (phajaan) used to break elephant spirit through physical restraint and pain cause acute suffering. Overloading and working in extreme heat cause physiological stress. However, where elephants are given adequate rest, veterinary care, and off-season forest ranging, welfare can be relatively good compared to many captive elephant situations. Improving logging elephant welfare is preferable to abandonment that leaves former working animals without care.