Elephant Nature Park’s Mae Keow ready for companionship?

It is hard to imagine anything more amazing than Kham Sai’s acceptance into the family group – but (!) there is yet another exciting social development in the works here at Elephant Nature Park … and it involves Mae Keow.

Many of our followers are quite familiar with Mae Keow. Almost two years ago she lost her best friend of 12 years, Lily. The passing of her dear companion shattered Mae Keow, who has not been the same since. With Lily by her side, Mae Keow was confident, sometimes a bully (known as a tail-biter) and possessive (when she was the adopted auntie of Jungle Boy,) among other things.

After Lily’s passing, Mae Keow appeared to lose her self confidence. She became shy and reclusive. She seemed to lack the social skills to make new friends and had passive/aggressive tendancies. Her only companion was her mahout of 4-plus years, Moses.

Mae Keow withdrew.

She spent most of her time up in the front corner of the park, only coming out to go to the river for bathing time. We were very worried about her, but we understood that her emotional healing had to happen in it’s own time.

A recent change in the elephant shelter arrangement became the first step in helping Mae Keow to reach out socially.

Mae Jarunee and Malai Tong were moved to stay up in the same area where Mae Keow stayed while their new shelter was being constructed.

Malai Tong is approachable and non-threatening. Shy elephants are drawn to her and she welcomes them with a beckoning trunk.

Malai Tong and Jarunee started to spend most of their day in the same area as Mae Keow. After about a month’s time, we began to notice Mae Keow edging closer and closer to Malai Tong, often standing right next to her.

When Mae Keow does leave the front corner for feeding and bathing, she passes by Navann’s shelter. Knowing that Malai Tong and Jarunee had recently became aunties to the lively little calf, Mae Keow became more interested in him as well.

Throughout the past few weeks, Mae Keow has started to make a visit to Navann a part of her daily routine. She touches and entwines trunks with Navann and “shares” Sri Prae and Mae Kham Paan’s food. The look in Mae Keow’s eyes says she just might be letting her guard down and could finally be ready to become emotionally attached once again.

Meanwhile, tucked safely away in the front corner, Mae Keow has been mingling with Malai Tong and Jarunee more regularly. Is she asking them to put in a good word for her with Sri Prae and Mae Kham Paan? Securing a position as one of Navann’s aunties would surely give Mae Keow a new lease on life.

And now … for the past three mornings Navann, Sri Prae and Mae Kham Paan have been taken to the front field to roam freely. Malai Tong and Jarunee join them. Mae Keow starts out on the fringe, but within a short period of time she moves in cautiously, almost tip-toeing until she is amongst them. At this time, the moments she has with Navann are fleeting. Mae Keow loses her bravado quickly and retreats often, though no one intimidates her. Again from the sidelines she observes and plans her next advance.

It does not take long — the power of love and desire to nurture are emotions of elephantine proportions!

We are incredibly happy to see Mae Keow opening up like this. Our hope is that she will continue to be persistent and soon secure a permanent auntie position. What a wonderful development that will be!

Surely, if Lily’s spirit is watching, she is smiling right now, happy to see her loyal friend finally getting on with her life and opening her heart to love once again.

Persistence pays off. Dreams come true — even for elephants!