VN October 2023

Vetnuus | October 2023 8 Abstract Background : Elephants are exploited for public entertainment tourism throughout Asia and Africa. Areas of concern include public health and safety and animal welfare. Materials and Methods : We examined over 500 scientific publications with respect to our primary objectives, as well as non-peer-reviewed materials relating to other relevant subject matters (e.g., tourism promotional websites and YouTube films) for background purposes, although these additional materials were not included in this review. Results: We identified at least 12 confirmed or potential zoonotic and other transmissible infections relevant to the elephant tourism sector, and at least 13 areas of animal welfare concern. Conclusion: Infection and injury risks between humans and captive elephants cannot be safely controlled where close contact experiences are involved, arguably creating an unredeemable and indefensible public health and safety situation. Elephant welfare within some sectors of the close-contact interactive tourism industry continues to involve significant mistreatment and abuse. To alleviate key One Health concerns outlined in this study, we recommend several types of regulation, monitoring, and control regarding interactions at the human-captive elephant interface. These include legal bans on the promotion and performance of close contact experiences, combined with strong enforcement protocols; new policies toward discouraging elephant tourism; 24/7 surveillance of captive elephants; and the adoption of independent scientific positive list systems for tourism promoters or providers regarding public observation of free-ranging elephants within national parks and protected areas. Keywords: animal welfare, elephant tourism, One Health, public health, safety, zoonoses. Introduction Elephants are exploited for public entertainment tourism throughout Asia (Elephas maximus) [1] and Africa (Loxodonta africana and Loxodonta cyclotis) [2]. In Asia, notably Thailand and India, elephant tourism involves various human-elephant interactions and degrees thereof [1, 3–7]. These interactions may essentially be characterized as: observational (e.g., elephants viewed only whether or not manifesting any particular activity); low-level interactions (e.g., elephant feeding and trunk touching); or high-level interactions (e.g., elephant riding, assisted skin scrubbing, and assisted bathing). While members of the public may be able to experience some or all of these events, elephant managers or “mahouts,” regularly experience all such events [1, 3–7]. In Africa, elephant tourism is relatively limited to ecotourism, where the public observe free-ranging animals, or experience either guided rides within national parks or interactive experiences at rescue and rehabilitation centers [1, 4, 7–9]. Elephant tourism: An analysis and recommendations for public health, safety, and animal welfare International Journal of One Health Clifford Warwick (Emergent Disease Foundation, London, WC2H 9JQ, UK) , Anthony Pilny (Arizona Exotic Animal Hospital, Phoenix, Arizona, AZ 85024, USA) , Catrina Steedman1 , and Rachel Grant(Division of Human Sciences, London South Bank University, London SE1 0AA, UK) EISSN: 2455-8931 49 International Journal of One Health Available at www.onehealthjournal.org/Vol.9/No.2/2.pdf Corresponding author: Clifford Warwick, e-mail: cliffordwarwick@gmail.com Co-authors: AP: apilny@azeah.com , CS: catrinasteedman@hotmail.com, RG: grantr11@lsbu.ac.uk Received: 07-03-2023, Accepted: 16-06-2023, Published online: 13-08-2023 doi: www.doi. org/10.14202/IJOH.2023.49-66 How to cite this article: Warwick C, Pilny A, Steedman C, and Grant R. (2023) Elephant tourism: An analysis and recommendations for public health, safety, and animal welfare, Int. J. One Health, 9(2): 49–66.