— Mae Mai —

Mae Mai’s registration says she was born in 1960. her name means "new," as in new elephant or new mother. She arrived at Elephant Nature Park in January 2005, her last job was working at a trekking camp near Pai. Her rescue was sponsored by Roy Fudge.

Mae Mai has worked in logging, both legally and illegally, as well as the in the trekking industry. She has a slightly deformed back right leg, which is the result of an old logging injury. Mae Mai was one of two elephants moving a large felled tree down a mountain. She was chained to the front end of the log when it became unattached from the elephant above and behind and slid down into her with so much force that it broke her leg. Not much is known about her healing time but when she could bear weight on the leg once again, she was put back to work. Besides the slight deformity she healed very well and has only the slightest limp that doesn’t slow her down.

Not a lot is known about the details of Mae Mai’s life, like how soon after her injury she left her life of logging to become a trekking elephant, but that is what she was doing when Lek first found her. Lek and a group of volunteers were on a Jumbo Expess in the Pai area and visited the trekking camp where Mae Mai was working. Emaciated, suffering from a chronic abscess on her cheek from a stab wound that went 5 inches deep, and generally in poor health, she was a depressed elephant who looked about ready to give up. Lucky for Mae Mai, her owner wished to sell her. Lek, having the funds and in the market for another elephant, told the owner to feed her more until Lek returned to get her, so she would be strong enough to make the two hour walk out of the jungle to meet the truck that would transport her to her new life of freedom and happiness.

Upon arrival to Elephant Nature Park, Mae Mai started fattening up with a steady diet of bananas and other fruits and vegetables she hadn’t had the luxury of eating very often, along with her regular nightly grass ration. With daily medical treatment, her abscess was soon healed and her health steadily improved. Within six months, Mae Mai had formed a friendship with an elderly female named Mae Tong Bai, who had arrived within a week of her. Mae Mai seemed to enjoy the role of "protector friend" for the older Mae Tong Bai and they remained inseparable until Mae Tong Bai's death in August 2006. Mae Mai displayed the level of emotion that elephants have with her mourning the loss of Mae Tong Bai. She stayed with her old friend until she passed, constantly trying to comfort her by gently caressing her with her trunk. Once she died, Mae Mai refused to leave her body until it was taken away to be buried. She wandered the Park depressed for a few days afterward, until new arrival Medo, also in need of a "protector friend" approached her looking for a companion. A friendship formed and the two were constantly together until Mae Mai developed an overwhelming desire to be with Max, the oldest male. Though still friends with Medo, she is quite content to spend the majority of her time following Max around, and is happy with her life of leisure.

To learn more about the histories and personalities of our elephants, please click on any of the links below.
 

Dok Ngern	Faa Sai	Hope
Jampaa	Jokia	Lilly
Mae Boon Ma	Mae Bua Kham	Mae Bua Loy
Mae Bua Tong	Mae Dta Keow	Mae Geao
Mae Jan Peng	Mae Keow	Mae Kham Geao
Mae Kham Paan	Mae Kham Sai	Mae Lanna
Mae Perm	Mae Tee	Malai Tong
Medo	Mintra	Somboon
Sri Nuan	Taa Raa (Jarunee)	Thai
Tong Jan	Tong Suk (Jungle Boy)

— Gone But Not Forgotten —

Sadly, some elephants come to the Park not as permanent members of our herd, but only as temporary guests. We do all that we can in order to purchase them from their owners so that they never have to leave, but in some cases we are not successful. These elephants have been taken back by their owners and are sorely missed.
 

Mae Boon and Aura	Mae Elu	Mae Toh Koh and Pupia
Phu Pa

— In Loving Memory —

These beloved members of our herd have passed away, but they will live forever in our hearts and minds.
 

Boon Khum (BK)	Khum Min	Mae Bia
Mae Mai	Maximus (Max)	RaRa
Ratree