As of this Monday, the ban on elephant rides is now in effect in Indonesia.
This makes the country the first nation in Asia to completely ban the popular tourist activity in favor of animal welfare.
The measure, decreed in December 2025, aims to protect pachyderms that year after year are subjected to abuse for the entertainment of thousands of international visitors.
The Indonesian Natural Resources and Conservation Agency confirmed in an official statement that the ban is in effect as of January 21, 2026.
This applies to all tourist and conservation centers registered with the authorities.
The regulation requires both the prohibition of elephant rides and the exhibition of this practice.
A center in Bali defied the regulation
A private establishment located in Bali, Indonesia’s main tourist destination, violated the ban on rides during the last week.
The government issued two warnings against this center before taking more severe measures.
The Ministry of Forestry threatened to revoke the operating license of the establishment.
After official pressure, the center removed elephant rides since last Sunday, when a government team visited the site and verified the implementation of the ban.
Animal organizations celebrate the ban on elephant rides
The non-governmental organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) issued a statement celebrating this “historic decision” that sets an important precedent for animal welfare in the region.
“Too often, elephants lose out in the tourism industry. PETA investigations have revealed that elephants are routinely chained and beaten with sharp hooks to force them to obey in tourist rides,” said Jason Baker, president of PETA Asia.
The organization highlighted that the ban on rides places Indonesia at the forefront of elephant welfare in the Asian continent.
PETA urged other countries in the region to follow Indonesia’s example.
The call to other Asian countries for the ban on elephant rides
PETA also called on Nepal, Thailand, India, and other nations to implement similar ban measures on elephant rides to protect these animals.
The organization also requested travel agencies worldwide to stop selling packages that include elephant rides.
Main tourist destinations in Asia still allow this activity, which generates significant economic income but subjects animals to deplorable conditions of captivity and constant mistreatment.
The Sumatran elephant, critically endangered
Indonesia is home to the Sumatran elephant, a subspecies of the Asian pachyderm whose population was halved between 1985 and 2012. The main threats include:
- Poaching for tusks intended for illegal trade
- Deforestation that has significantly reduced their natural habitat
- Constant conflicts with human communities
- Exploitation in the tourism industry
Currently, there are between 2,400 and 2,800 specimens of this animal. The World Wildlife Fund has classified it as “critically endangered.”
This makes the ban on elephant rides an urgent measure for their survival.
Indonesia’s decision could inspire significant changes in the Asian tourism industry and redefine the relationship between tourism and the conservation of threatened species in the region.
