Elephant Of The Week : Dao Tong
Dao Tong was born around 1975. She was rescued from street begging at Surin Province. She used to work in illegal logging before street begging and had accident while she was working in logging camp. Her back right leg was broken. When she unable to pull the log , she began her sad career in street begging. She walked on a street during night time and spent the day chained up in the a paddy field. With the poor condition at her leg, she had to walk all night long.
Dao Tong was rescued and brought to ENP in November 2012 by the help from Matt Rousu and Chantelle Ridley ( Ride Bikes not Elephants project ). She arrived in very poor condition and so skinny. Dao Tong had the room next to Sri Prae . On the day that Navann was born, she interested and tried to reach her trunk out to Navann. When she had opportunity to go out to the field, she decided to remain in her shelter, reached out for the little boy. She wanted to be his nanny. Navann’s first steps out to the field were accompanied by Dao Tong, followed him everywhere even to the mud pit where it was so difficult for her to move. She kept him safe under her watchful eye.
In 2014 she had an accident, slipped on the river bank. She re-broke her leg and could barely move, she laid down for a long time in the shelter next to Navann. A vet told us that there was no hope, but when Navann called her, after many months of recuperation, she managed to stand up again. Today she is back in the field with him but she also takes it easy. She is so happy to join the other nannies to be the guardian angel of Navann and enjoy her life again. Love that lift her up. We learn from Dao Tong that she never give up.
