Elephant care centre Mathura: Miss Universe Great Britain backs ‘refuse to ride’ campaign
Jessica, a 27-year-old marketing manager and aspiring entrepreneur from Liverpool, England led the delegation. The visit was aimed at raising awareness against the abuse of Asian elephants in India.
Miss Universe Great Britain 2023, Jessica Page, visited the Wildlife SOS Elephant Conservation and Care Centre in Mathura for a conservation education tour. The delegation included other participants from the beauty pageant.
Jessica, a 27-year-old marketing manager and aspiring entrepreneur from Liverpool, England led the delegation. The visit was aimed at raising awareness against the abuse of Asian elephants in India.
The visitors also included Alisha Cowie, who holds the title of Miss International UK 2023, along with Harriotte Lane and Claudia Todd, who were finalists in the Miss Universe Great Britain 2023 pageant.
During their visit, the group were told about the history of rescued elephants, who were given a second chance at life free from abuse and cruelty.
They had informative sessions with elephant care experts and veterinarians, gaining insights into the challenges faced by Asian elephants in India. They also visited the elephant hospital campus to understand the medical needs of rescued elephants.
The team was enthused to support Wildlife SOS in their ‘Refuse to Ride’ campaign, which seeks to raise awareness amongst the citizens about the dark reality behind elephant ride attractions in India.
“I urge everyone to help the organisation enforce their campaign - Refuse To Ride. I believe this cause is very important especially for tourists to provide a better life to the elephants. I call upon everyone to visit the centre and donate towards the cause,” said Jessica.
“Few people realise that the captive elephants giving rides to tourists were once wild and separated from their herds. The only way to train them for tourist rides is through keeping them in constant pain and fear. We, in collaboration with the Miss Universe Great Britain 2023 team, strongly encourage everyone to speak out against the mistreatment of these majestic animals,” said Kartick Satyanarayan, Co-founder & CEO, Wildlife SOS.
“We were honoured to have Jessica Page and her fellow participants visit our sanctuary. Their visit has brought into focus the plight of Asian elephants in India,” said Geeta Seshamani, co-founder & secretary, Wildlife SOS.