Elephant Tourism in Nepal

Historical Perspectives, Current Health and Welfare Challenges, and Future Directions

by Michelle Szydlowski

Description

A study of elephant tourism in Nepal from its origins in the 1960s to present day, this book examines the ways in which captive elephants face challenges as they navigate life in Nepalese elephant stables, or hattisars. Used as human conveyance, government anti-poaching patrol team members and rescue vehicles, these elephants work with and for humans. The health and welfare of captive tourism elephants is vital to the conservation of wild individuals, and this book offers an assessment of elephant needs and their existing welfare statuses. Numerous NGOS and INGOs are active in the lives of these animals and numerous elephant advocacy organizations have arisen with the goal of changing the riding culture and improving the lives of captive elephants. This book seeks to examine the motivations of these NGOs and INGOs, along with their ethical approaches to elephant health and welfare. Are the motivations of these organizations similar enough to work together towards a common goal? Or are their ethical norms so different that they will get in the way of each other? Using ordinary language and an ethics theoretical framework, this text aims to identify the norms across cultures and organisations and reframe them in ways which allow those organizations to create more successful outcomes.

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Author Biography

Dr. Szydlowski's previous research focused on how ecotourism practices impact community-based conservation efforts for rhino and elephant. She spent the last seven years teaching avian and reptile medicine, behavior, anthrozoology, sheltering, and conservation in US colleges. Szydlowski works with community-based conservation efforts focused on endangered species preservation, wildlife health, and sustainable development in Nepal. She continues to study governmental and I/NGO programs which purport to help captive elephants, and how their interactions impact population-level health and individual elephant lives. Her research also focuses on the welfare of endangered elephants and the members of marginalized communities that care for them. She is now working with several elephant owners and interest groups to create lasting, positive welfare changes for elephants in Nepal. Dr. Szydlowski previously served as the board chair for a global conservation fund. She now serves on the advisory

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CABI (CAB International)

CABI (CAB International)

CABI (CAB International) is an international, non-profit body improving lives by providing information & scientific expertise to solve problems in agriculture & the environment.

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Bibliographic Information

  • Publisher/Imprint CABI / CAB International
  • Publication Date January 2024
  • Orginal LanguageEnglish
  • ISBN/Identifier 9781800624474 / 1800624476
  • Publication Country or regionUnited Kingdom
  • FormatHardback
  • Primary Price 120 GBP
  • Pages248
  • Publish StatusPublished
  • Dimensions244 X 172 mm
  • Reference Code6034

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