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Blake Moynes through his European type invasive investigation has unveiled the negative aspect of wildlife tourism in Thailand which not only revealed the animal exploitation but also the gradual indoctrination of school kids at these places. The trip of the former Bachelor was chronicled to places called wildlife sanctuaries where he came across the very dark truth of tigers in small cages, elephants tied up, and hundreds of kids being told that animal suffering is nothing but fun.
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Moynes spoke of his feeling through the medium of the power packed video message that was full of the sorrow of the scenes he witnessed. ‘I disguised myself as a tourist and went to Thailand and what I uncovered was alarming,’ said Moynes in the video. ‘Our objective was to film the very barbaric treatment of wildlife through tourism in the worst form. Such as, tigers in cages meant for the size of kittens, elephants being chained – and yes, I was sure it was going to be ugly.’
Not only the animals’ conditions but also the presence of a great number of children at these places were the shocking aspects for him. ‘What I did not anticipate were bus loads of kids, four-year-olds with tiny little backpacks bouncing around, and teens on school trips,’ he stated. ‘Hundreds and hundreds of kids walking through these wildlife traps.’ The video clips show little students applauding at the circus-like performances with the animals, which for Moynes, is nothing less than turning ‘pure suffering’ into an acceptable form of entertainment.
The activist has raised a serious alarm over the wrong message being sent to the future generations. ‘We are actually grooming the next generation to think that these creatures are there just to be hugged, chained, and fined for our enjoyment,’ stated Moynes. ‘We are normalizing this treatment for them. These kids on school trips are the ones who are supposed to be the future protectors of our wildlife and environment. But we are actually showing them that this abuse is acceptable.’
Moynes’ followers immediately and profusely responded. One user said, ‘You are doing the work of god! A voice for the voiceless. Their karma on this earth is pure and beautiful, the humans, not so much!’ This sentiment was shared by many who, like Moynes, considered the hard topics often coupled with tourism limitations in the discussion.
Another participant told of his or her own tragic experience in similar places. ‘When I was a kid in Hong Kong I went on a school trip to mainland China and, as teenagers, we were taken to a tiger farm! It was terrifying and now that I think about it I would be very happy if my school or anyone else had designated that event as very unethical.’ This comment shows that the issue is prevalent all over Asia and sometimes school systems unwittingly help in normalizing animal cruelty.
The discussion very rapidly shifted to solutions and alternatives. One follower offered, ‘They rely on the tourist dollar. If we all ceased and desisted from buying tickets and instead put our dollars into conservation, the difference would be enormous.’ This practical approach suggests that shifts in consumer behavior could result in a significant change in how wildlife tourism operates.
Several commentators reaffirmed that there are already ethical options in Thailand. ‘Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand is one of the few places that actually rescue abused animals, run a huge elephant hospital, and give lifelong care to those that cannot be sent back to the wild,’ one teacher told the group. This organization epitomizes the kind of responsible wildlife tourism where animal welfare comes before entertainment.
Responses to the post often indicated the emotional drain of being exposed to such conditions. ‘Ugh it would be too hard to watch. All done in the name of research but I can’t take it,’ one user wrote, who later on disclosed his/her personal rule: ‘Now that it is completely my choice, I will not participate – and my kids know that they will not either. We only pay to see people as the entertained. The way it should be.’
Moynes himself acknowledged the complexity of the issue and during his video he said, ‘This is a complicated controversial matter and I will go deeper into my opinion next time. But I am wondering, where do we draw the limit?’ His query evoked a lot of talk among the users with views ranging from total ban on animal tourism to tougher regulations and better education.
The debate extended to other countries, an American user commented, ‘This makes me very upset. And it’s more widespread than people imagine and it does not only happen abroad. It occurs in the USA too.’ Such a broad perspective serves as a reminder that animal welfare issues in tourism are not exclusively related to distant countries.
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Moynes concluded his strong message by addressing the custodians and educators directly: ‘If you are a mother, big sister/brother, nanny, teacher, uncle, grandparent… What are we teaching our next generation?!’ His research is a crucial wake-up call and reveals his simple secret to an extraordinary life of advocacy. His dedication to conservation is further highlighted by the upcoming Botswana conservation trip he is hosting.
This story originally appeared on Celebrityinsider
