Dear [name of your MP]

Save The Asian Elephants – new law to protect abused elephants and tourists

I write as your constituent regarding the appalling abuse and torture of Asian elephants in tourism, so much promoted in the UK travel market, and of the grave danger to humans.

Endangered baby elephants are snatched from the wild, their mothers killed who try to protect them, and then the baby is isolated, starved, beaten and stabbed to “break the spirits” for easy commercial exploitation. Half die in the process. Elephants provoked by such abuse regularly attack and kill tourists.

Broken down, malnourished Asian elephants, held in fetid close confinement, are highly effective transmitters to humans of deadly airborne viruses such as TB, SARS and Ebola. Developing scientific research suggests a grave risk of shedding Covid-19 to humans too. India, home to two thirds of Asian elephants, is already struggling to control the pandemic and generates more new Covid cases than any other nation. Reckless exposure of tourists to elephant riding, selfies and “tricks” runs extreme dangers to humans as well as involving extreme cruelty from which no company should profit.

STAE’s new research shows hundreds of UK based companies promoting all the most brutal Asian elephant venues across SE Asia. The UK sent 2 million tourists to India and Thailand in 2018/19, far more than any European country. In 2016 there were 13 million elephant rides in Thailand alone. STAE stands for genuine sanctuaries where elephants can be observed from a safe and respectful distance.

In October 2019 STAE provided DEFRA Minister Zac Goldsmith as requested with a draft Bill – the Asian Elephants (Tourism) Bill. The Government has just announced it is considering legislation to prohibit the promotion and sale of such unethical venues. I urge you to support such new law.

STAE’s petition has nearly 1 million signatures, with 29 million more from petitions now aligned with it. Populus polling in July 2020 shows 90% of Britons want an immediate end to such advertising. But your role as a legislator is crucial.I look forward to hearing from you, thank you.

Yours sincerely

[Your name & address]