Elephant Nature Park

the Elephant Nature Park just outside of Chiang Mai, Thailand

 is an elephant rescue sanctuary and rehab, 

which also acts as a community preservation project 

and educational opportunity 

for visitors from all over the world.  

this day was one of most precious of all those i spent in Thailand.  

the plight of the Asian elephant is a sad one.

many elephants have been abandoned from the logging industry,

 where they had 'jobs' and have now been left to fend for themselves.  

some of them are rescued from the streets of Bangkok where they are used to 

draw the almighty baht (currency) from tourists hands via begging.

the sight of these elephants... 

whose sensitive feet can feel vibrations up to 10 miles away,  

pacing and swaying due to stress from the sounds of the city...

UGH. its simply heart-wrenching. 

while there are approx. 40 elephants in the herd here,

the sanctuary is also home to 50 or so stray dogs. 

 i'm sure that number has multiplied exponentially 

by the time i even posted this.  

many of them also bearing the visual scars 

of a more gruesome past.

they are so fortunate to have found refuge in this haven:

     

  

the park is run entirely on donations - 

much of the funding realized through visitors, like myself,

 who come daily to interact with, feed and bathe the elephants.  

there is NO elephant riding at this facility,

we were here to learn and to help them...

not use them for our benefit.   

this girl is creating a painting that she can sell 

to raise money for the park:

the reason behind needing so much money for the park?

elephants EAT, and they EAT a LOT.

they eat constantly.  

they are eating machines! 

heres just one side of the food room... 

they'll go through this in a day or two. 

EASILY

   

after we fed them MASSIVE baskets of cucumbers 

and bananas and squash and zucchini

and and and and... 

it was time to head down to the river for a bath. 

     

the females (not necessarily their moms) 

protect the babies in the river crossing:

  

  

luckily, they had us there for assistance.

ha. 

   

and they emerged, all the mud and dust washed off...

so fresh and so clean clean.

   

and headed immediately for their favorite scratching posts:

   

ever wonder what an elephant looks like from above? 

now you know!

and then guess what?

time to eat again!

and again:

   and again:

  

and then, sadly, it was time to say goodbye:

 

if you ever find yourself in Northern Thailand, 

and i hope for your sake that you do,

  i highly suggest you make a trip to the park 

to help support the cause 

and learn more about these amazing animals. 

you can read more about the Elephant Nature Park at:

www.saveelephant.org