Our study has shown that no two locations are the same, and that no location has
perfect living conditions for elephants, not even a forest. In other words, we can conclude
that between zoos, conservation areas, elephant camps and the forest there is no place that
provides ideal living conditions for elephants. The inconsistency of resources, such as space
and access to a variety of food, throughout elephant locations strengthens the complexity of
the elephant situation because many people believe that elephants can simply be returned to
the wild. Contrary to this thought, our research shows that it may be both more plausible and
more beneficial to keep domesticated elephants in captivity, and better their living conditions
rather than relocate them to the wild. We believe that by expanding forests through
reforestation and making specific improvements to certain locations, such as adding rubber
padding to cement floors, humans will enhance elephant well-being. Multiple enhancements vi
in different areas can result in elephants eating better, living longer, having better fertility
rates, and eventually increasing their population.
In order to gain a better understanding of the elephants’ decline in numbers and their cultural
significance, we studied locations inhabited by elephants in Thailand. We assessed the
quality of elephant life in the different categories of places in which they are located: zoos,
conservation areas, elephant camps, and the wild. We assessed multiple locations within each
category, based on fourteen criteria, such as food, water, and space. The assessment allowed us to
combine data from each location and further assess the locations based on four ranking assessment
groups: physical well-being, psychological well-being, sustainability of location, and cultural
significance. The physical and psychological groups helped us assess well-being and sustainability
and culture helped us assess the complexity of the issue. We obtained information pertaining to
specific criteria at each location through interviews and observations. We compared all
locations to a set of ideal conditions, which we uncovered through research. All locations
received points based on a six point scale for each assessment group. The number of points a
location received is based on the assessment criteria. In our study of the cultural significance
of elephants in Thailand, we gained an understanding of the context in which elephants and
people coexist with each other. This understanding provides us with a foundation from which
we direct our recommendations, and allows them to be culturally acceptable. We tailored
recommendations that improve elephant quality of life to the commonalities between
locations, and these stem from the results of our analysis