Rain is always welcome on hot days and the weather becomes refreshing. But Malee knows that when the skies clear, the heat will return and she prepares her skin to remain cool and protected. It’s a contented life when no saddle is to be thrown on your back and then coerced to obey unpleasant duties.
Medo once lived with her two best friends, Mae Lanna and SaoYai. But the climb up the mountain eventually became too much for her and she developed friendships with SookJai (who has since passed away) and Gemsai, with whom she enjoys that company. She is a calm, easy-going elephant with an indomitable spirit, enjoying her life in the sanctuary of the park.
In spite of her injury (a dislocated knee), and with some distinct recovery due to the use of a prosthetic donated by David Casselman and the Gentle Giant team, look at Mae Mai and, if you can recall, compare her to the elephant who arrived here at ENP on Jan.28, 2021.
Tell me which you deem preferable, and then I will know the future of captive elephants. Is it a life lived in fear, under a hook with fear of pain, to instill behaviors that are ignoble and unnatural ? Is this what the tourist wants ? It is time to take responsibility for our actions as a tourist, and generally, as a species. Educate ourselves in the conditions prevalent for our enjoyment ! Are we entertained by suffering ?!
Sanmueng was rescued by Save Elephant Foundation on 10th of September 2022 and this update celebrates the 1st year of his release to freedom. SanMueng is a bull elephant taken from his mother’s care at the tender age of three and forced to perform at the Phuket Zoo. He was forced to “dance” to music, to play musical instruments and perform demeaning tricks for tourist’s entertainment. The lengthy performances were held up to three times a day and SanMeung was required to follow commands under the threat of a sharp “bullhook”.
Navaan (meaning “gold” in Cambodian) was born at Elephant Nature Park in the early hours of October 28, 2012, to a chorus of trumpeting and elephant gossip. Navaan will never work and will never have his spirit broken in a phajaan. He was so adorable as a baby, and such a winsome lad growing up within a family of ever expanding Nannies.
The friendship between Payom and NongPeng is so heartwarming to watch. Payom and NongPeng are part of Khamla’s family group but they enjoy finding quiet, peaceful and relaxing moments in their day to be close to each other. Their commitment and affection for one another is astounding, as can be seen in this video which shows them on an early morning walk up the river to their daytime haunts, further up the valley.
Green Season in Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand, brings happiness in many forms to elephants enjoying the sanctuary of Elephant Nature Park. In this video we see Jenny rolling, slipping & sliding in mud, lathering herself up and thoroughly enjoying a mud spa session. Whether alone or with friends, spa day is every day in the rainy season at Elephant Nature Park. Just look how exquisitely untroubled Jenny and ThongAe are in their mud spa heaven.
Mintra, a veteran cow herder, demonstrates to Kratae, a novice, just how to move cows effectively! Oftentimes, a large group of cows not under the care of Elephant Nature Park, will drift along the opposite side of the river grazing peacefully. This hasn’t sat well with many of our elephants, with Mintra being the one most incensed by these interlopers onto what she deems her turf.
Jaidee made it through all her years of service without any broken bones or dislocations but is blind in one eye and has minimal sight in the other. Jaidee is now ~76 years old. She can still move pretty fast for an old lady, which we have to be cautious of because she does not make friends readily. Her eye issues keep her mostly out of the sun and she goes for walks when the sun is setting.
That’s a very easy question to answer in this particular scene. Mho Jae and her baby Sa Ngae’s life has dramatically changed after their rescue earlier this year to the sanctuary of Elephant Nature Park and with the loving care and support of their trusted nanny, SookSai, they are able to enjoy being elephants free from the shackles of their past life, living as a happy family.
Now, WanMai, MaeMai, and Sri Nuan are inseparable, with mother and nanny sharing the responsibilities of caring for the sweet but mischievous WanMai. We are so happy to have been able to rescue WanMai at such a young age (thanks to the generosity of Noelle), knowing that she will be able to thrive in her new home and never be sold away from her family into the working camps.
Today Fhandee made her own little mud pit and in this video we can see how she slathered her body in protective mud. It is the rainy season when bugs flourish, and for all of our elephants, any protective layer on their skins can help them to enjoy their day and evening that much more.
At Elephant Nature Park, visitors can often see younger elephants being surrounded, guided, caressed and protected by other elephants. This caring behaviour of elephants being attentive to the care and well being of other elephants, especially younger elephants we call Nanny Behaviour.
Wanmai, Baitoey, Meeboon, Maemai, and SriNuan greet each other with their rumbles, and trunk touches which convey deep affection. Their conversations are rich and filled with emotion, a testament to the deep intelligence and social bonds of these magnificent creatures.