There is'nt enough room to write everything about this place, so l will try to keep it brief! www.elephantnaturepark.com opened in 2003, but Lek the founder had been working and saving elephants since the late 80's. it is a haven/ refuge for mis treated elephants, most have come from logging camps on the Thai Burmese border or from the streets where they'd been used for begging for their owners. Sometimes elephants can be sent here for a rest, Lek and the park do their best to purchase these elephants from the owners but its a lengthy process, sometimes taking years. Having tourists visit and stay is a way for the park to continue their work.
They currently have 33 elephants, they also run a dog refuge and have over 200 dogs that they rescued from the Bangkok floods last year, they are kept in a special compound. There are also water buffalo, pig, goat, cats, cow and even a rabbit! So really an animal shelter. A lot of people complain about the amount of dogs as there are about 20 that just roam around the park, they are the cleanest and most well cared for dogs in Asia!
So the elephants, l was picked up from my Guest House and driven out to the park, about an hour out of town. We watched an info DVD on way out, very good. As soon as we are there it's into feeding the elephants, which goes on all day! Elephants eat 10%of their body weight! We are given a bit of a tour of the park. More feeding and then feeding ourselves, an amazing vegetarian smorgasbord, so much food and extremely tasty too. Off to wash the elephants which of course becomes a good excuse for a water fight as it is so hot and we are in the river, and its so nice and cool! There are a lot to be washed, then off to a above ground ramp to watch the mahouts bring down the elephants that aren't so socialised for a bath. We can then go down and spend some time playing and feeding them, but one of their baby boys is very naughty and we were constantly being told " watch out". So great care is taken of fine guests and elephants.
After the group l was with go back to Chiang Mai, l now have a guide to myself, I like to call him Katut, but it was really Tony! Very Thai! L get shown my hut, way better than l was expecting and then a walk about, dinner, a ceremony to welcome a school group which l joined in on and some free time to sit and listen to the elephants settling down for the night.
Next day, up early, a great tour about, washing and chopping of food for the animals, seeing the clinic and some visiting vet students treating the elepha to, two elephants are permanent in the clinic and getting constant treatment. Our walk takes in almost every elephant in the herd And i have no idea how Katut remembers their names, they all have such tragic stories. It was a great 3 hours of walking, listening and learning, back in time for lunch and washing elephants and feeding them again.
This routine is repetitive as like any job or home the same things go on and on and over and over. But l never tire of sitting and just watching these amazing animals.
Highlights of course have been the elephants and the passion of the staff! Also the cats trying to open my windows and get in at night and what ever was eating my thatched roof early hours of the morning!
I really hope l get a chance to return here and stay longer and get more involved. I visited this place in 2004 and it is amazing how it has come along, i have supported various things over the years to do my bit and it is not only a haven for elephants but humans too! A real get a way!
