Elephant Pai Lin, who used to carry 6 tourists at the same time, suffered permanent spinal damage and was abandoned by her owner because she no longer worked well.

Elephants are famous for their incredible size and strength, but riding on their back can still cause great harm by tourists. Wildlife Friends in Thailand (WFFT) posted a photo of a 71-year-old female elephant, Pai Lin, who suffered a spinal deformity after 25 years of working in the tourism industry, CNN reported on March 10. During the work, the animal sometimes has to carry up to 6 tourists at the same time.

“Pai Lin’s back still bears scars from old pressure points. Continued pressure on elephants’ bodies can damage the tissues and bones in their backs, leading to irreversible physical damage to the poles,” said Mr. alive,” said WFFT.

Elephant riding is a popular tourist activity in Southeast Asian countries, but animal activists say it is a form of abuse because their bodies are not built for riding. They are also frequently abused in other activities such as long-distance travel and logging, they say. Even many elephants have died from exhaustion and malnutrition when overworked.

“Pai Lin came to our sanctuary in 2006, after working in Thailand’s tourism industry. The previous owner abandoned the animal because it was too slow, always in pain and could not work well anymore.” Edwin Wiek, director and founder of WFFT, said.

Elephant backs are not built to carry heavy loads, according to Tom Taylor, project manager at WFFT. “Their spines extend upwards. The constant pressure from tourists on the spine can lead to permanent physical damage. This is what can be seen in Pai Lin,” Taylor said.

“It’s important to understand that elephants are different from horses, which are not bred for riding. They are not domesticated animals but were caught from the wild and kept in captivity in poor conditions,” added Wiek.

Pai Lin is living with 24 other rescued elephants in WFFT’s sanctuary near the coastal town of Hua Hin, about a 2.5-hour drive from Bangkok. Now it’s older and gaining weight. “He’s fatter than when he first came to us. You can clearly see the shape of his spine – it’s a deformity that he will have to live with. But he is still doing well,” Wiek said.