Some attendees of the elephant swimming exhibition at Khao Kheow Open Zoo southeast of Bangkok are surprised that it has been criticized as an example of animal cruelty and exploitation, but recent controversy over a photo of a swimming elephant at the zoo illustrates the friction that exists between animal rights activists and the people who manage, appreciate and profit from the tourism roles that elephants fill in Thailand. The photo, which shows an elephant submerged in water while an audience watches through underwater windows, has been criticized, with some saying it "shows a disconnection with nature (and) how we manufacture nature." Elephants are natural-born swimmers, but critics view Khao Kheow's swimming exhibition as a forced performance. More broadly, they see it as an example of how animals are exploited for the amusement of humans.
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