No More Elephant Rides at Bali Zoo From January 1

Bali Zoo officially stopped elephant rides from January 1, 2026.

The zoo explains this step by prioritizing animal welfare and shifting to a more 'gentle' format: more time for social interaction and care programs, allowing elephants to move more and behave naturally. At the same time, they promise to enhance the educational aspect for visitors.

The reason is not only Bali Zoo's internal policy. In 2025, the Directorate General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation at Indonesia's Ministry of Forestry issued Circular No. 6 on the cessation of demonstration programs involving elephant rides at facilities housing captive animals. This requirement is mandatory for all such facilities in Indonesia, and in Bali, it has already been communicated to all venues and is under supervision.

The province has 13 animal facilities, of which 5 house elephants — a total of 83 individuals. Bali Zoo (in its documents — CV Bali Harmoni) became one of the first to publicly confirm the stopping of rides from January 1. Ignoring the circular results in measures ranging from warnings to license revocation. As an example of a strict approach, the department cites the first official warning issued on January 13, 2026, to the company PT Wisatareksa Gajah Perdana (Mason Elephant Park and Lodge).

Sources: travel.detik.com, ksda-bali.go.id