An elementary part of our help is to become a sponsor. Many of the elephants are handicapped. Unhealed fractures, injuries from landmines, blindness from harsh lighting and torture and much more, they suffered during their long working life in the timber industry (now illegal), as a show elephant in the tourism industry, as a begging or temple elephant and in forced breeding. Numerous elephants have been able to be trained by the elephant whisperer Lek Chailert and the Save Elephant Foundation – SEF for short – have been rescued. At the heart of the organization *Elephant Nature Park the often severely traumatized pachyderms receive medical care and are treated with lots of *LOVE AND BANANAS* care. They come to rest here and their traumatized souls can slowly heal in the loving family network.
Below we present some of the fate of the ENP and other support options.
Our sponsorship elephants and sponsorship projects
Individual fates and small families from the Elephant Nature Park
My name is * MAE MAI * (born 1990) and I had to slave in the illegal logging industry for years. Then I was sold to an elephant riding camp and had to drag tourists. And I became pregnant. On May 2nd, 2020, labor started much too early, but I gave birth to my daughter in a good health. This tiny WAN MAI was quite a fighter from birth. Since our owner urgently needed money because of the Corona crisis, he wanted to sell us to another riding camp.
But then a miracle happened: LEK CHAILERT and their Save Elephant Foundation (SEF) were able to save us. My girl Wan MAI will never experience the brutal Phajaan and can live with me in freedom at the Elephant Nature Park (ENP). Sometimes we both can hardly believe our luck. And imagine: SRI NUAN immediately fell in love with my little one and became her nanny. Together we play, splash around, bathe, roll around in the mud and go for a walk. But we also need a lot of food – do you want to support us?
Medo - paralyzed foot
During my job in the illegal logging industry, I broke my back joint – only there was no time to heal. In the breeding station I was chained on all 4 legs and brutally raped by a bull and seriously injured. My knee joint was broken, my hip dislocated, and much more. But in 2006 my angel LEK CHAILERT and her team appeared and rescued me. They brought me to the ENP, where I found dear friends. And I love bathing in the river, because I hardly have any pain there. (I was born in 1976.)
Jokia - The Eye from Heaven
I was born in 1960 and worked in the illegal logging industry. Even when I was heavily pregnant, there was no time to rest for me. This is how the distaster happened. While pulling logs up the slope, I gave birth to my baby. It rolled down the slope and I wasn’t allowed to look after it. My baby was unable to free itself from the amniotic sac and died. When I realized that, I refused to continue working. As a punishment, I was deliberately blinded by two different mahouts and finally rescued in 1999. My best friend MAE PERM, who sadly passed away in 2016, helped me at the ENP.
Thai Koon - like the Thai Koon Steel Company
Like so many other elephants, I had to work in the illegal logging industry on the Myanmar border. I was very young when I stepped on a land mine. But I had to keep working. To relieve the insane pain, I shifted my weight to my left leg. Only – I was still growing and that’s why my foot was deformed. As you can imagine, I find it very difficult to walk. —– But in 2014 the miracle happened and Lek saved me and I came to the ENP. Here I am well looked after and have already made two friends: MAE KHAM PUAN and TILLY.
Kabu - Kham Boon - Golden Value
My mom also worked in the logging industry and I had to accompany her from the beginning. When I was 2 years old (1992), the desaster happened. A log trunk got out of hand and I couldn’t avoid it. He severely injured my left front foot. Even though the joint was broken, I did not receive any medical treatment. To relieve the pain, I shifted my weight to my right leg, which was badly deformed. I still had to continue working and later I was raped twice. My son did not survive the Phajaan and my daughter has to work for the tourists. I can’t even describe to you how I was doing. Although Lek saved me and got into the ENP in 2015, my life was full of sadness. That changed when I met Chana, my dear friend.
Thong AE
When I was 1 year old, I was separated from my mommy and had to work as a begging elephant on the street. When one of my nannies died too, all I could do was cry. I was so sad and depressed that my owner took me to the ENP (2017). And you can hardly imagine how nice it is there. I have so many lovely nannies and grandnannies. JOKIA is also such a love, I really like her and PAI LIN too. She shares the delicious rice balls with me. Yummy!