The capture of wild elephants for domestic use or entertainment in the tourism industry has become a threat to wild populations where numbers have been critically reduced. Because of the long years of infancy (a period where calves are not capable of work), it has been the custom to take wild elephants and train them rather than breed from domesticated animals.

Vietnam and Myanmar have banned capture in order to conserve their wild herds. However in Myanmar, elephants are still caught each year for the timber industry or the illegal wildlife trade. What is known to be devastating were the use of crude capture methods as well as the fact that these captive elephants are often mistreated, abused and confined to sub-standard facilities without adequate veterinarian care, which have led to a high mortality level. With nearly 30% of the remaining Asian elephants in captivity, there is an increasing need for attention to be paid on improved care and, where appropriate, reintroduction into the wild.

Read More: Threats, Timber Trade and Illegal Logging, Illegal Hunting and Trade