Skinny elephant at zoo: Officials defend treatment of animals as ” public safety”

A farm and zoo near Bangkok has defended its treatment of animals.

After pictures of a skinny elephant were spread on the internet netizens were concerned that animals at Samut Prakan Alligator and Zoological park were being mistreated.

An elephant was seen in a video practicing for a show – its rib cage was clearly visible.

It was performing a trick of walking on two narrow rails.

There was also an old horse that looked at death’s door.

Management chief Uthen Yangpraphakorn explained that the elephant was used in a show and was kept lean to stop it becoming mean.

If it went into musth it could represent a danger to the public at the zoo.

“And who wants that?” asked Uthen defending his facility. “that would be dangerous”.

He also said that the elephant in the video is no longer in the show, this was old news.

The horse was 15 years old – 80 in human terms, he said. Not surprisingly he had seen better days.

Uthen said that the authorities make regular visits and his farm is ethical and up to standards.

Thai Visa / Amarin TV

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