Elephant Sanctuary

After visiting the Tiger breeding centre we followed up the next day by going to the Chiang Mai elephant rescue park. This centre provides a safe environment for elephants who have suffered abuse or been abandoned by humans to live. we spent the day learning about these amazing animals, feeding them, bathing them and feeding them again (they love to eat)

They live in a beautiful valley

  

Elephant wearing yellow boots to prevent him spreading an infection

Grabbing as much corn as she can

This is the kitchen, the 34 elephants eat a LOT of fruit

100 years ago their was around 100,000 Asian elephants living in Thailand. Now their is only about 5,00, half of these live in the wild and half are classified as domestic animals. Up until the 1980 elephants were used extensively in the logging industry. Moving heavy logs and trekking through dense rain forest. Then to save what rainforest they had left the government banned logging. Which was good for the rainforest but left thousands of domestic elephants with no way to make a living. Some where abandoned to the wild but growing up amongst humans meant they did not avoid human habitations and sometimes became pests eating crops. Some were illegally sold to the Burmese logging industry. Lots ended up in the tourism industry.




This elephant sadly is blind so has to feel for the food on the ground with her trunk. She also uses her trunk as a guide stick.








Sadly the strains of many tourist jobs damaged the health of elephants. Abuse and neglect of elephants is still wide spread. Domestic elephants (unlike their wild cousins) have no rights as they are treated as cattle. All across Thailand elephants are being dangerously exploited. Sometimes maliciously, like blinding an elephant for not obeying, but more often out of ignorance for the damage they are doing.

You cant see clearly but these elephants are running full speed. They found something exciting!

  







The Elephant park exists as safe refuge for mistreated elephants. Starting with just 4 elephants they park has grown to now housing 34 elephants. From young elephants months old right up to old matrons over 70 years old. It was fantastic to spend the day going around the centre. Meeting different elephants, hearing their stories and how the centre is caring for them now. Feeding them, we found ourselves feeding the elephants all the time. They love to eat. After lunch a particular highlight for us was going down to the river and helping wash the elephants.

Afternoon bath time

Lending a hand with buckets

Getting behind the ears

   

Some like to lay down it is just more relaxing!

All clean

We had great fun getting up close and personal with this gentle giants. Towering over us they proved to be very friendly and curious. Their huge size was very intimidating at first but we soon relaxed around them and even got an Elephant kiss off one of the cheekier young elephants.

Nice gentle kiss on the check

  

Big wet kiss on the nose

Chiang Mai has been a great change of pace from temples and projects. We have loved meeting animals we would never normally get to be close with. We have been very careful about searching up high quality organisations that put the animals welfare first. It has been great to support their work.

Scratching an itch