These heartbreaking images show the suffering of wild animals at tourist destinations across South Asia .
Photographs show monkeys, tigers, and elephants chained in captivity and made to perform for paying tourists.
Taken by photojournalist Aaron Gekosi, these shocking images mark the launch of wildlife charity Born Free’s Raise the Red Flag campaign.
Heartbreaking photos of baby tigers caged in Safari World, a tourist attraction in Bangkok, Thailand
The campaign will allow tourists to report instances of captive animal suffering around the world.
In one sequence, an orangutan can be seen looking out from the confines of its cage while monkeys dressed in waistcoats cycle on bicycles.
Dr. Chris Draper, Head of Animal Welfare & Captivity at Born Free, said: ‘Captivity can never recreate the complex environment that animals have evolved to encounter in the wild. Many animals suffer in captivity as a result.
‘Countless wild animals are kept in captive situations for human entertainment – in circuses and animals shows, as photo props for tourists, for animal encounters, for film and TV, or as pets.
A macaque monkey wearing a waistcoat and riding a bike at Dam Sen Amusement Park, Vietnam
An elephant is stabbed in the trunk with a nail by a trainer at the Taman Safari in Indonesia
A crocodile lies in a tiny and filthy enclosure that is only half full of water in Samutprakarn Zoo, Thailand
‘There are tens of thousands of zoos worldwide, holding millions of wild animals in captivity. All these activities can have serious animal welfare implications and pose real risks to both animal and public health and safety.
‘Many people may have seen a captive wild animal in distress. They may have visited a zoo, a tourist attraction or stumbled across suffering of captive wild animals and felt uncomfortable or concerned about what they witnessed.
‘When people encounter situations like this, they can find it difficult or daunting to speak out, or simply do not know who to contact.
These heartbreaking images show the suffering of wild animals at some of the world’s most iconic tourist destinations in South Asia
An orangutan wearing boxing gloves is forced to pose with a tourist for a photograph at Safari World, Bangkok
Taken by photojournalist Aaron Gekosi, these shocking images show misery of animals in captivity
‘Our new Raise the Red Flag system, which is supported by British Airways Holidays, and fronted by Born Free’s newest patron, Mollie King, will allow supporters worldwide to report incidents of wild animal suffering, while offering advice on what to look out for and what action to take after reporting their concerns.’
Mollie King added: ‘I am truly honoured to be joining Born Free as a Patron, the whole team there do such worthwhile work, all with the ultimate goal of keeping wildlife where it belongs; in the wild.
‘A few years ago I was fortunate enough to be able to join Born Free in rehoming captive bears from Georgia to a Greek sanctuary.
Taken by photojournalist Aaron Gekosi, these shocking images mark the launch of international wildlife charity Born Free’s Raise the Red Flag campaign
Tourists pose for a photograph while they feed a tiger cub at Samutprakarn Zoo, Bangkok
Born Free’s ‘Raise the red flag’ campaign will allow tourists to report instances of captive animal suffering around the world
‘Seeing how badly the bears had been treated before they were rescued – some of them being forced to ‘dance’ on hot stones for tourists – appalled me, the trip also made me realise there is so much work to do to end these horrific activities.
‘I am so pleased Born Free exists and is doing everything it can to end the exploitation of wild animals. I’m excited about lots of things that we have planned for my patronage, in particular the launch of Raise the Red Flag.
Sun bears beg for food from their enclosure at Saigon Zoo in Saigon, South Vietnam
A macaque monkey is made up behind a curtain Dam Sen Amusement Park, Vietnam
An Asian elephant is made to perform in a small room, Phuket Eco Safari, Phuket, Thailand
‘I want to do all that I can to help Born Free shine a light on the reality of captivity for wild animals and Raise the Red Flag is such an important project for everybody to be able to do that’
Draper concluded: ‘Sadly, we can’t help every captive wild animal, but where possible we can investigate, contact the establishments, travel companies or authorities involved, and highlight that suffering to the rest of the world.
‘When people inform us of wild animal suffering through Raise the Red Flag, we will empower them to take action and do everything we can to help as many animals as possible’