Journey around South East Asia

THAILAND | Monday, 24 November 2014 | Views [215] | View Smaller Image

A lifetime of slavery and mistreatment for working elephants in Ayutthaya. An adult male stays in a tight space for hours and waiting to take tourists on a ride around town while his mahout takes a nap on his back. In the background an elephant struggling to stand, stays in a sitting position for more than an hour surrounded by soiled floors while the crowds turn a blind eye and enjoy the show.

A 3 year old orphan elephant was rescued after being help captive and losing his mother after a few weeks of being born. He is smaller in size than a normal elephant his age and because of a life of trauma and abuse, he lacks simple skills as placing food in his mouth without constantly dropping it. Only a few weeks at Elephant Nature Park, he found an adoptive mother 'Nanny' that teaches him how to peal a banana and eat it for the first time.

< previous

3 of 5

A symbol of hope. Lek Chailert reached out to Thai monks in a effort to save the forests for the declining number of elephants in Thailand. In an effort to protect these few and precious lands, Buddhist monks place sacred flags on trees to help prevent deforestation and preserve elephant natural habitats.

next >

Return to photo gallery >>

Journey around South East Asia

Share