Mae Wang National Park, Thailand
We’ve been around elephants quite a bit, in Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos. We’ve become quite comfortable around them… as long as the handlers are ok with it.
I’m sure some elephants are not so happy.
But we’ve fed them, touched them, and been close enough to be snotted on by them. Their eyes are the saddest I’ve seen in an animal (but of course that’s just anthropomorphizing).
I can’t imagine going through life, though, without being able to rub, or clear my eyes.