Michael Friis Johansen

While rightfully celebrated as a priceless jewel of human culture, Indonesia's ancient Borobudur Temple in Central Java suffers from a serious blight: a herd of captive elephants. At least one tourism industry website sees no harm in allowing visitors to ride the animals around the temple grounds, describing how they are also "taught to do some funny activity like a human being". However, criticism of the elephants' captivity is not lacking. Various commentators have called it cruel and exploitative.