Elephant rides at Indonesia’s Bali attractions banned over animal welfare concerns

Bali’s elephant-riding attractions have begun shutting down after Indonesia’s forestry authorities ordered conservation centres to end the practice, as local officials threaten to revoke the relevant permits for non-compliance. The directive calls for the centres to stop elephant-riding “performances” and shift towards wildlife tourism that is more educational and ethical, according to a circular by the Ministry of Forestry’s Directorate General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation...