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At the trekking camp, Mae Boon was performing in shows and carrying
tourists up and down a mountain. She worked long hours, and during the
15 years spent there she never gave birth, until Aura. At that time Mae
Boon was extremely frail and malnourished. The owner sent her away from
work to have her baby at the Lampang Animal Hospital.
Shortly after entering the world, Aura also became extremely frail
and sick. While in Lampang, Aura cut the top of her trunk and her tongue
by reaching through a fence trying to grab something. She still has a
scar on her trunk. Afraid that the baby would not survive, the owner
requested a move to the Elephant Nature Park, to which Lek gladly agreed.
It turns out that Mae Boon is an old friend of Jokia’s. Back in the
days before moving into the park, Jokia was more often at the Elephant
Haven. Lek also allowed trekking elephants to come visit and relax in
the jungle, and so they had met. With Mae Boon having her baby Aura with
her, and Jokia a close companion of Mae Perm, the two did not reform any
strong bond. There was however, quite a stir amongst the herd the moment
Mae Boon arrived. All the elephants gathered around them and spent hours
trumpeting, rumbling and squeaking as they welcomed the herds newest
arrivals.
Mae Dta Keow, usually prefering solicitude took a liking to
Aura and
offered her services as an auntie elephant. At first Mae Boon rejected
her but persistence paid off and now the three of them are a tight
family unit. Mae Boon and Mae Dta Keow are now never more than a few
feet away from little Aura.
Aura is growing into a healthy and playful young elephant. Each day
after bath-time she undergoes positive reinforcement based training with
her mahout. She is slowly learning the commands normally taught through
pajaan, but with a big difference. Instead of beatings or psychological
abuse she is rewarded with bananas. Both mother and baby are happy at
the park and delighted to be away from the rigours of dangerous work
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