— Sri Nuan —
Sri Nuan was born around 1960, her name means ‘gentle and feminine’. She arrived at Elephant Nature Park with the young Dok Ngern in January 2006. Thanks for the funds raised for their rescue goes to Antoinette van de Water and her Bring the Elephant Home project. As is often the case, not a lot is known about Sri Nuan’s history.
In the past she worked as a trekking elephant and one night got loose from her chain. She raided a farmer’s field nearby, doing much damage. Unfortunately, the farmer found Sri Nuan before her mahout did, and blinded her in the right eye.
In 2003, Sri Nuan gave birth to a baby, named Nong Ning. Their happy days together were short lived, as their owner decided to sell Nong Ning to an elephant show in Phuket when she was only eight months old. The baby died soon after being separated from Sri Nuan.
In November 2005, while in Surin for the Elephant Round-up, Antoinette and Lek spotted Sri Nuan street begging outside of the hotel where they were staying. Antoinette made inquiries as to whether her owner would be interested in selling Sri Nuan, and soon negotiations began. Sri Nuan would be one of two elephants who were part of Antoinette’s Bring the Elephant Home project, which involved transporting them across Thailand to Elephant Nature Park, while arranging educational and media events along the way.
Upon arrival at the Park, she and Dok Ngern quickly joined a family group of other new arrivals which included Pupia, his mother Mae Toh Koh, and his auntie Malai Tong. Sri Nuan has quickly taken the position of ‘experienced, matronly’ auntie to the young Pupia, and it is emotionally healing for her to get to nurture a young one after losing her own.
She is easy to identify with her exceptionally huge head and large ears, one of which is more turned under and back than the other, and she has the most beautifully long tail hair. She lives up to her name meaning, ‘gentle and feminine’ as she is never aggressive, and despite her size never tries to intimidate others.
To learn more about the histories and personalities of our elephants, please click on any of the links below.
