Elephant Washing in Coorg, India

I am against animal cruelty, just to be clear, but I did wash some elephants! So what I’m telling you here is that not all places that use animals for tourism are corrupt. Do your research before you support but know that it’s not all dark and gloomy behind the scenes!

The money made from tourists in the good places will go to maintenance for the animals to live a good life. Medical care, food, protected land etc.

The money from the tourists in the ‘bad places’ (Which won’t always look bad on the surface) will not be going where you would hope it would…at best it goes straight into the pockets of the people who are there for work rather than love of the animals.

 

Dubare Elephant Camp – Coorg

 

The elephants here were mainly used for log shifting and other heavy duty work before the 70’s, since then due to laws they are not used as working elephants.

Now the elephants are used to protect the land and crops of the farmers nearby from big cats or other wild elephants (Who would trample the land) for humans to do this job it would likely result in attacks and injury to either side, so a tamed elephant is much more efficient and safe.

Tourists can only interact during bathing and eating time, this is a great way to experience the beautiful animals up close while the elephant is doing what it would anyway be doing. Baby elephants born from these tame elephants are also kept as tame so they can be with their mother, this made me a little sad but they are given so much love that I grew to accept it. We took a raft boat over the water to get to where we needed to be, I love being on boats and I really enjoyed this short ride over.

It was November, the water was perfect temperature, in your clothes you can walk into the water where the elephants are waiting to be washed. (respecting Indian culture NO WAY would you go in a swim suit or bikini) They lay down and play for a short while and then let you wash them with their hands…be careful sometimes they’ll still be playing and they will spray you from their trunks! The skin feels so thick and theres so many little hairs over him, it was amazing! I also felt like the eyes were full of secrets from the old soul that lived inside. In fact reelecting now, i feel a poem coming on….

After washing the elephants you can go to where the elephants are fed, you pay a small amount and get given a parcel which you can then approach the elephant with and s/he will take it into their mouth. It’s cool.

 

This is my second time interacting with Elephants in India, the first time was in Jaipur.

Elephants are amazing animals and the experience you get from spending time with them is incredible. Just PLEASE make sure you do your research and you’re not supporting places that abuse these magnificent creatures.

 

Love love love, Chloe

Xo