Adrienne Possenti, admin, Free All Captive Elephants

For 138 years, the iconic giant statue known as Lucy the Elephant in Margate, NJ, has been many things to many people. She has been a movie and TV star. She has been featured in magazines and in a comic strip. In the early part of the 20th century, Lucy served as a restaurant, a business office, a cottage and a tavern. In 2016, Margate’s Lucy was even a United States presidential candidate.

Most importantly, Lucy has functioned as one of the nation’s greatest tourist attractions with thousands of visitors annually. Her picture graces many old and new souvenir postcards and artists have rendered her on canvas from every vantage point.

Because of the tusks that were part of her original construction, Lucy accurately depicts a male elephant who originates from India although now she is commonly known as a female elephant.

According to records, Lucy was initially modeled after “Jumbo the Elephant,” the once famous captive wild animal that formerly traveled and performed with the now defunct Ringling Barnum and Bailey’s Circus.

Recently announcement was made of Lucy’s latest incarnation as an Airbnb destination that includes overnight stays for guests willing to climb her 25-step staircase.

At the very top of Lucy’s back is a giant carriage, or riding saddle that is more accurately referred to in India as a howdah. She was originally designed with this howdah in order to offer visitors a place to stand for panoramic views of the surrounding skyline and the Atlantic Ocean. In India, the howdah is a traditional saddle placed atop the backs of captive elephants to offer rides to paying tourists.

In addition to being a cool tourist attraction in the beautiful city of Margate, Lucy also clearly depicts an uncomfortable truth of how elephants are brutally exploited for profit when forced to carry humans astride their backs here in the U.S., as well as abroad.

Each captive wild elephant that is used solely for financial gain has a keeper or a handler. In India this keeper is referred to as a mahout. The mahout is an elephant trainer. The most common tools used by the trainers or mahouts to maintain control of a captive elephant is chains and an ankus. An ankus is a sharp metal poker-like tool with a pointed hook at the tip used to inflict pain upon the elephant in the most delicate sensitive body parts such as behind the ears. The area behind an elephant’s ears are partially concealed thereby puncture wounds inflicted by the ankus are not readily visible. Captive elephants are chained in place when not giving rides to people. The ankus is utilized by the mahout to keep the elephant as submissive as possible at all times through the fear of the infliction of continuous excruciating pain.

Wild animals such as elephants remain exploited today for riding and human entertainment in traveling circuses across the U.S. Elephant riding is deeply rooted in culture and tradition around the world. None-the-less it is a horrid practice. There is much to be gained financially by selling rides on the backs of elephants.

For instance, in the near-by state of Virginia, there is a place called The Natural Bridge Zoo. Housed for over three decades at this zoo is a lone female African elephant who goes by the name Asha. She is forced to give rides on her back to zoo attendees who pay $10 per person. It is estimated that Asha annually gives rides to thousands of people. Do the math. That sum total should buy Asha a sufficient amount of nourishing food as well as the best veterinary care available. Instead, Asha has made her owner very wealthy. As a result of her brutal captivity, Asha has a history of violently retaliating against her captors and the adults and children who she is required to carry upon her back.

Roaming freely in the wild, each elephant consumes food for approximately 16 hours a day. In order to properly feed a captive elephant and still see a good profit at the end of the day, a trainer or mahout must sell many rides to many tourists. When the profit isn’t sufficient, adequate food and basic care for the elephant is the lesser priority.

Humans who engage in elephant riding are contributing to the brutal oppression of one of the earth’s most majestic creatures. Never ride an elephant, anywhere, any time.

In view of the depiction of Lucy, this statue would be better suited with something other than a traditional riding saddle or howdah high atop her back. With some paint, that howdah could be transformed into an innocuous viewpoint or something as appropriately majestic as the species she represents. A golden crown comes to mind.

Adrienne Possenti is an admin for Free All Captive Elephants, FACE.