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Bring the Elephant HOME has been created to support abused and overworked elephants in Thailand. The first and most urgently in need of our attention are elephants who are made to beg on the streets of Thailand. The aim of the walk is to get all elephants being used for begging off the street.
Antoinette van de Water, the founder of the project, has been involved in the work of the Elephant Nature Park in Thailand for a couple of years. In the Elephant Nature Park, abused and overworked elephants are being taken care of. The last couple of years Elephant Nature Park has grown, and more and more elephants have been given a chance to live there, but there are more elephants that deserve a place to live in the park. Therefore the Elephant Nature Park needs money! Antoinette has made a plan for the elephants that are in most need of help: the begging elephants.
By foot we will bring two begging elephants home. After regaining their strength we will walk from Bangkok to the jungle in the north of Thailand. The journey of the two elephants, about 1.000 kilometers or a million elephantsteps, will symbolize the 'long walk home' for the rest of the streetelephants.
Changing the behaviour of tourists, locals and others
This walk with two elephants will surely gain the attention of the media, through which people will get to know how awful the life of an enslaved streetelephant is. Tourists will be educated through this and will hopefully stop giving money to elephants who are made to beg on the street. Also international media will stimulate the Thai government to be more strict and take measures against the use of elephants on the street. Hopefully the government will initiate programmes that will benefit the elephant, as well as the mahouts and the tourists.
Natural environment
Before, during and after the walk we will try to show tourist as well as locals that there are enough natural, animal-friendly and fun alternatives to get to know the elephants, like the Elephant Haven or the Elephant Nature Park. If more and more people would visit places like this, it will become easier for the mahouts with their elephants to find a better place to work and make a sustainable living.
But before the first step can be set, funds have to be raised. That's where you might be of help. On behalf of Antoinette as well as Lek, the manager of the Elephant Nature Park, we ask you to visit our website www.bring-the-elephant-home.nl (both in English and Dutch) and think about how you could help us. (See "help ons" or "help us") or you might have other ideas about how to help us. Like raising media attention. Any help is welcome, just surprise me, surprise us but above all surprise the elephants.
Eric Seuren
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