— Ratree —
Her name is Ratree, which means midnight and sadly signifies her dark and abusive past. She was born around 1975 but looks much older. Ratree was rescued from Surin and arrived at Elephant Nature Park in November of 2009. Her rescue was generously funded by American Jeff Cantrell, and father and daughter Lee and Juliet West, also from America.
When Ratree arrived she was covered with abrasions. The top of her head was ridden with deep infected holes inflicted with that dreaded implement of control, the ankus hook. Ratree's right eye is a deep chocolate brown but the expression is blank. Her left is just the remnants of what was once a seeing eye. The end of her tail is missing. She walks like a drunken zombie, shuffling along quickly, much quicker than you would think she could move, her back legs almost tripping over each other. But walking is easier than standing: Ratree could be knocked down by the slightest flick of a trunk. She is afraid to lay down at night, as it is too painful and stressful to attempt to get back up and she is unable do it without assistance.
Ratree has suffered extensive nerve, tendon and muscle damage in her rear legs, the result of multiple arranged mating situations she has been forced to endure (which incidentally is common practice in some form or another the world over, not just in Thailand). On one of these ghastly occasions, unbeknownst to her owners she was already pregnant, and while being mounted had a spontaneous miscarriage from the force of the bull's weight.
Finally, after years of excessive abuse all that remained was the battered outer shell of what was once a majestic and beautiful creature who had the capacity to feel intense emotions like love, or fear, or sadness. There was nothing left that could be taken from her, she could be exploited no more. Her owners decided to get rid her when she could no longer provide an income for them. Lek had learned about Ratree on a previous trip to Surin and knew she was in desperate need of a new life. Elephant Nature Park was just the place where she could begin to heal emotionally and physically.
The journey from Surin was long and exhausting and Ratree couldn't sleep on the truck. The first two nights at Elephant Nature Park she spent at the medical center so we could observe and treat her initially, and Ratree didn't lay down to sleep there either. She was moved to a quiet spot with an incline hoping Ratree would lie down near it for support, but sadly she chose a flat spot to lie down and in the morning couldn't get up on her own and had to be pushed up. From that night on she has not laid down at all, choosing to lean against a small tree for support, only dozing, not getting really restful sleep.
Since Ratree's arrival she has been devouring everything that is put in front of her as if she is afraid that the food will run out. She is settling down a bit, as the first day she wandered freely, she rushed around the Park land at speeds not thought possible for her.
Some of the injuries and psychological trauma that Ratree has sustained are permanent and she will never be able to recover from them and it will be a while before we will be able to see her true temperament and personality. It does seem that she has the capacity and desire to connect with other elephants, which will be very healing for her. We hope that we can help her to feel that she can trust people once again as well, but all of this remains to be seen. Even if she never feels completely comfortable with people again, this is ok, as here at Elephant Nature Park she can just be an elephant and won't be forced in to any situations that would make her feel uncomfortable. Hopefully, we can at least make Ratree feel that she is safe and that her suffering is finally over.
———— Ratree Passes Away ————
It is very sad to lose an elephant, but Ratree was ready for her suffering to be over, so her passing is not what is sad, but the enormity of the cruelty that she had to experience in her short life is what is so devastating. She should have had a long life ahead, enjoying freedom, friendship and maybe even having a calf or two, instead of being subjected to forced breeding, overwork, drug abuse, food and water deprivation, and beatings, all which collectively caused so much damage that recovery was not possible. Jaem Jan passed away at approximately 7:30am on March 25, 2010. Bless her beautiful soul.
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) |  Khum Min |  Lilly |
 Mae Bia |  Mae Mai |  Maximus (Max) |
 RaRa |  Ratree |  Somboon |
