New Baby Born at Elephant Nature Park
Park greeted with early morning birth of boy
CHIANG MAI, Thailand – October 29, 2012 – What started like any other early morning at Save Elephant Foundation’s (SEF) Elephant Nature Park (ENP) was anything but, thanks to the arrival of a baby boy elephant.
At approximately 5:30 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 28, 2012, one of the park’s newer members of the 30-plus heard, Sri Prae, gave birth to a 97.9 kilo, 84 cm tall boy, Navann. Named after a supporter of SEF’s new Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary, Cambodia’s Deputy Director of the Ministry of Forestry, the name translates to “gold.” Within the first hour of his birth, he was able to nurse and receive the much-needed nutrients from his mother.
“She never presented any signs she was pregnant, so we were quite surprised to hear the elephant commotion in the early morning,” said Sangduen “Lek” Chailert, the founder of SEF. “Given the long gestation period of elephants and the lack of fertile bulls at ENP upon Sri Prae’s arrival at the park, we are convinced she was already pregnant when we rescued her. We have so many false pregnancies at the park we never suspected she might have been carrying a baby.”
The park, which allows elephants to enjoy a life without performing tricks or being beaten, does not actively seek to breed elephants. However, they are allowed to live in herds as elephants would in the wild.
Navann and Sri Prae, a survivor of a land mine blast among other past atrocities, quickly had a nanny join the new family, another land mine survivor, Malai Tong. Originally, Malai Tong as a nanny to the park’s other baby boy, the three-year-old Chang Yim. However, a few months ago, Malai Tong began to get milk in her breasts and took company with Sri Prae.
For the next few months, the baby and mom will be under constant supervision to ensure they are both healthy before they are released back into the 250-acre park to roam with the other herds.
“We are so overjoyed to have this new addition,” said Chailert. “We look forward to watching him grow and eventually releasing him back into the jungle to live his adult-life as a wild and happy elephant.”
About Elephant Nature Park: Beyond the concrete jungle of Chiang Mai, Thailand, lies an entirely different jungle. A real jungle where lush, tree-covered mountains are home to numerous species of animals. Within this jungle is a special place — Elephant Nature Park (ENP). Unlike other tourist outfits in Thailand, ENP delivers something unique — a chance to interact with elephants without exploiting them. ENP provides a sanctuary for these creatures broken by tourism and the illegal logging industry.
Founded in 1995 by Sangduen “Lek” Chailert, ENP gives these magnificent animals a new lease on life. At ENP, there are no tricks. There are no rides. No elephant paintings can be bought. Here, these elephants are allowed to live their lives free from bullhooks, free from abuse. Home to more than 30 elephants, most of which have been saved from the tourist and illegal logging industries, the Park offers visitors the opportunity to engage with the animals. Operating daily trips to ENP, visitors can choose to spend the day, night or even more mingling with these creatures in their natural habitat. At ENP, guests can feed the elephants and bathe them, and also learn about the plight of the Asian elephant and what they can do to help.
About Save Elephant Foundation: A Thai non-profit organization, Save Elephant Foundation is dedicated to providing care and assistance to Thailand’s captive elephant population. It operates through a multifaceted approach, which involves local community outreach, rescue and rehabilitation programs and educational ecotourism operations. Its projects include: Elephant Nature Park, a sanctuary for more than 30 elephants, which is consistently ranked as one of Chaing Mai’s top attractions by Trip Advisor; Journey to Freedom; Surin Project; Jumbo Express; Elephant Haven; and more.
For additional information about Save Elephant Foundation, please visit:
Web: www.saveelephant.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/saveelephantfoundation
Twitter: @save_elephant
