Nattaya Nicknamed Pimchai, Nattaya arrived at Elephant Haven in 2009 from the Surin Province in Northeast Thailand. At 30 years old, she has spent her working life as a trekking elephant. Pimchai is very sociable and friendly towards other elephants. She…
Our intern Debbie was lucky enough to spend time on one of our more unique programs, Journey to Freedom. Here's what she had to say about her experience: 'Journey to Freedom was one of the most rewarding experiences…
[fusion_text]After a long truck ride from the Surin province, on January 17th a very worn out fifty year old elephant stepped off the truck at ENP, yet unaware that her well deserved retirement had finally begun. She has been renamed…
Imagine ... Being torn from your mother's side, both of you fighting against your oppressors with every ounce of your strength. Though she does not have to kill to feed you, your mother would kill to protect you - or…
Education and knowledge are the keys to change. This is something we have learned over and over, not just with visitors who come to Thailand and to our projects, but also with other elephant camps.
When Erawan Elephant Retirement Park opened in July, 2013, Save Elephant Foundation was able to take five elephants from trekking camps, street begging and performance shows and move them to a new home … in retirement. Now, almost six months later, we are happy to report that these elephants are enjoying their freedom. This project came about because Lek worked hard to establish relationships with camps in Kanchanaburi and educate them on how to help their elephants lives become better.
An integral part to all of our projects is education that expands beyond just our world of visitors and volunteers. We continue to educate elephant camp owners and hope we can help improve their lives in captivity.
Over the past few years, we have had several camps open next to us at Elephant Nature Park.
The nearby trekking camp with their elephants. This is no longer their world, thanks to the hard work and education they have received from Lek and SEF about how to better their elephants lives.
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!
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.
Dear old Mae Tee. At around 60 years old, she has an indomitable spirit. Against all odds, Mae Tee is roaming further and further afield with each passing day.
Note how far behind Mae Tee the medical center is. Mae Tee really enjoys roaming far and wide.
She is enjoying fleeting interactive moments with Dok Mai, Dok Ngern and the other sociable members of that extended family group. She sometimes has pushing matches with Chang Yim.
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.
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…