Mourning Mae Tee
At about 6 p.m. on 17 June a truly Grand Dame took her last breath. Mae Tee had just passed her five-anniversary of life at ENP. In all those years she had never laid down. We were always in awe…
ENP Rings in New Year with Power of One
New Year’s Day is a special day, filled with hope. We hope for a happy and healthy year ahead for the elephants and all other animals and humans in the care of Elephant Nature Park. We hope to continue to understand each other and work towards better communication and cooperation. We hope to become better people. We hope to inspire others to care more about animals, the environment and our mother Earth.
For the past eight years, ENP has been fortunate to start each year with a special volunteer group known as the “Power of One.” They arrive on January first, bringing with them their own special blend of peace, love, happiness, inspiration and HOPE. Their visit is a perfect start for the New Year!
The Power of One strike a pose during their show.
Owen Wilson, Lake Bell and more visit ENP
The past few months, Chiang Mai has played host to Hollywood, thanks to the filming of the action movie, “The Coup.”
Of course, no visit to Thailand’s second-largest city is complete without a trip up to Elephant Nature Park. We were fortunate to welcome stars Owen Wilson and Lake Bell, who play a married couple in the film, as well as actresses Claire Geare and Sterling Jerins, plus brothers film director John Erick Dowdle and producer Drew Dowdle.
The most beautiful part?
One visit to Lek and the elephants wasn’t enough!
Members of the cast and production team of “The Coup” visit Elephant Nature Park with Lek and Beau. L-R: John, Lake, Owen, Drew, Beau, Diana
Spotlight: Grandma Auntie Mae Thai
Often overlooked, 60-something year old Mae Thai — a grandma auntie on the Faa Mai side of our largest family group — has been at Elephant Nature Park since December 2002. She became one of Tong Jaan’s aunties in late 2005, not long after Tong Jaan and Mae Bua Tong’s arrival. She has remained a loyal auntie to Tong Jaan ever since and has helped look after some of the new arrivals as well. Mae Thai’s protective nature sometimes gets the best of her. Though most of her fellow herd members are quite social and friendly with other elephants when they wander over to visit, Mae Thai will often try to chase them away!
Thai (over Dok Mai) shares a precious moment with her family herd.
Meet the Mahout: Navann’s Dam
One of the nicest, most competent and well known mahouts at the Elephant Nature Park is 36-year-old Dam. He is currently the mahout of Navann and Sri Prae. Dam comes from the Shan state of Burma (or Myanmar). About ten percent of our mahouts are Shan, who fled their homeland to escape persecution. Dam has been in Thailand for 15 years and has always worked as a mahout. His wife, Gayna, is also employed by ENP, and works in the kitchen. They have a beautiful 5-year-old daughter, Faa Sai. Dam is linguistically diverse and is fluent in Shan, Burmese, some Chinese, as well as Thai!
Mintra and Yin Dee Finally Roam Free
Mintra can’t wipe the smile off her face these days … she has a good friend by her side, a bundle of joy at her breast and a loyal old fuss budget hovering in the background. But what makes her smile the most is that she is enjoying the company of those most dearest to her while grazing peacefully, feeling the grass underfoot and the sun shining on her back. She can have a roll in the mud when she wishes and has a companion to rub against when needed. Finally, after six weeks in the security of the shelter, Mintra and Yin Dee are free to roam at will at Elephant Nature Park!
Positive reinforcement target training and foot care program back in action!
After a long hiatus waiting for the completion of a new and improved training wall, Elephant Nature Park is happy to announce that positive reinforcement based target training and foot care is once again part of our daily routine.
The foot window is not yet completed. There will be two adjustable/removable bars for the foot to rest on. The stool is only temporary.
Mintra blesses us with a baby boy – welcome Yin Dee!!!!
The new baby elephant, Yin Dee
Rumbles, roars and chirps erupted at around 12:15 a.m. on August 25th breaking the midnight silence, announcing the arrival of a new born calf. Stirred to consciousness by the vocalizations, bleary eyed ENP staff sprung from their beds. Grabbing flashlights and cameras, they rushed to the elephant shelters to catch a glimpse of the newest member of our herd.
Welcome to the (elephant) jungle
A new and long-awaited activity has finally begun here at Elephant Nature Park. The different social groups within our herd are taking turns going up to the jungle. The mountainside behind the mahout village is thick with the various jungle…
Elephant Gossip! The latest dish at Elephant Nature Park
There are many social groups within our herd of elephants who reside at Elephant Nature Park. For some, we never know what tomorrow will bring, while others have a rather predictable routine. Read on and you will have a glimpse into their complex relationships …
