— Mae Perm —
Mae Perm’s name means "to increase." This represents the good luck and good fortune that could come to her caregiver by having her, for example; to increase the amount of funds coming in, the number of elephants in the herd, the amount of land etc.
Many female elephant names start with "mae." This is the Thai word for mother and is added to the name after her first child is born. Lek rescued Mae Perm in 1992 with funds from her personal savings. She is her first elephant. Her documents state that she is more than 90, but she is probably in her late 40's/early 50’s.
Lek first heard about Mae Perm when she belonged to a rich French/Thai family. They were keeping her as an exotic pet in their backyard. They did not understand an elephant’s dietary needs so Mae Perm developed problems with her digestive system. They decided to sell her and her life took a turn for the better.
Once with Lek, she steadily improved and became healthy once again.
Lek’s mother and Mae Perm were very close. When she passed away in 1998, Mae Perm attended the funeral. She was covered in baskets of flowers, which she carried to lay upon the grave. The largest Thai newspaper, THAIRATH, covered the story. Mae Perm made the front page, with a photo showing tears rolling down her cheeks. This was great for raising awareness with Thai people, showing that elephants have emotions and shed tears of sadness.
Being Lek’s first elephant, she sometimes asserts her dominance by chasing newer females around the Park, much to their dismay. She is the auntie of Hope, and the best friend of Jokia, Lek’s first blind elephant. She and Jokia are constant companions and have a beautiful relationship. Mae Perm is always there for her with a steady reassuring trunk and low rumbles of encouragement.
The details of her life are vague as she has changed hands and moved about many times. Throughout her life Mae Perm has worked in logging camps, elephant shows, trekking and even street begging, but her future is certain as the self appointed matriarch of the Elephant Nature Park herd.
To learn more about the histories and personalities of our elephants, please click on any of the links below.
— 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) |  Mae Bia |  Mae Mai |
 Maximus (Max) |
