Why elephants should never be diplomatic gifts

Sri Lanka has received several elephants as diplomatic gifts over the past decades. But many of these elephants have faced tragic circumstances, often due to neglect and unprofessional handling by mahouts. Recently, Thailand announced that it would take back two elephants gifted to Sri Lanka due to animal cruelty and neglect. The discourse on gifting elephants and other wildlife as souvenirs highlighted the dangers faced by these animals when in a foreign country. Weather conditions, in which the animal would be kept, the type of food and other details need to be taken into consideration before gifting an animal. While it may symbolise diplomatic relations, the animal’s well-being is paramount too. In 2023, Thailand took back Sak Surin, one of its elephants previously gifted to Sri Lanka. The case of Myan Kumara, a gift from Myanmar, is another case of animal cruelty and neglect. Therefore, it’s high time that respective governments considered these gentle giants as invaluable assets and refrained from sending them to unknown territories in the guise of diplomatic relations.

A concerned citizen