King's Cup Elephant Polo King's Cup Elephant Polo King's Cup Elephant Polo is an elephant polo event played three times a year in Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. The event is sponsored by Anantara Hotels, a brand owned by the Minor Hotel Group of Bangkok, Thailand. In each match, two teams compete. Each team consists of five humans and five elephants. There is no monetary prize. Sponsors have included Johnnie Walker, PwC, Peroni, and IBM. PETA claims that at least eight other corporate sponsors have ended their support of the event due to its allegedly inhumane nature. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
The National Elephant Center will become the center for AZA elephant population management and envisions itself as a world leader in elephant conservation, scientific research and care for elephant populations in zoos and in the wild. In 2004 the idea of creating a national center for elephants came as the result of an Association of Zoos and Aquariums Elephant Management Strategic Planning Meeting involving thought leaders and members of the Elephant Taxon Advisory Group/Species Survival Plan (TAG/SSP). For many years, curators, keepers, veterinarians and others associated with elephants at Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) institutions wanted a facility to provide short- and long-term