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———— Elephant Art Auction: March 2010 ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on March 10, 2010
This month's art for auction is a batik painting on silk by park visitor and donor Silke Preussker. Silke has been making visits to Elephant Nature Park for over two and a half years and was instrumental in getting the young Rara here, who sadly passed away suddenly at the beginning of this year. [Read more]
———— Lek Chailert Offers Photos For Auction ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on March 10, 2010
This month two black and white photographs taken by Lek Chailert are up for auction. Also, the 2010 Elephant Nature Park calendar has almost sold out now, but there are still a few copies available for sale in the Ele Store! [Read more]
———— Update on Mae Jampaa ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on March 8, 2010
Mae Jampaa has settled into her new friends, new life, and her new routine at Elephant Nature Park. She has become firm friends with the lively Mintra and her constant companion Mae Dta Keow and the trio are working out just fine. [Read more]
———— Mae Jan Peng's Retirement ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on March 6, 2010
On Friday January 8th, Mae Jan Peng arrived at Elephant Nature Park to start her much-deserved retirement. She is easily 70 years old. She worked as a logging elephant until the early 1990's and then began a career in trekking. [Read more]
———— Ratree Update ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on March 6, 2010
Ratree, whose arrival story was featured in our last newsletter, has now been at Elephant Nature Park for just over three months. She is still in the process of settling in and we are still in the process of learning the extent of the damage that has been inflicted on her from past abuse. [Read more]
———— First Annual "Bike for Elephants" a Great Success! ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on March 6, 2010
On the afternoon of February 6th, a group of 50 bicyclists arrived at Elephant Nature Park. A stopover at the Park was part of the two-day bicycling fundraiser coordinated by Antoinette Van De Water and her Bring the Elephant Home team. [Read more]
———— An Update on Chang Yim, Faa Mai, and Tong Jaan ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on March 6, 2010
Chang Yim, Faa Mai, and the rest of their family are spending a lot less time in the shelter than before as the babies need less nap time and demand more time for exploration and fun! [Read more]
———— Mae Geao and Jarunee Become More Socially Confident ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on March 6, 2010
Mae Geao and Mae Jarunee, who used to stay at a shelter up in the front corner of the Park, were moved to the Tong Tae family shelter. This move has had a very positive change in their quality of life. It makes us very happy to see these two formerly shy and withdrawn females come out of their shells and start to feel more confident in social situations. [Read more]
———— Hope and Tong Suk: Park Casanovas ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on March 6, 2010
Well it is now official - Hope and Tong Suk are the "big men on campus" for the time being with no older males to school them or put them in their place. [Read more]
———— Faa Sai: Growing Up and Focusing More on Males ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on March 6, 2010
It was not surprising to observe that her interest in the males was growing, but when her flirting became more persistent it seemed that there might be something more than just "young elephant fun" going on! For two days there was only one thing on Faa Sai's mind - BOYS! [Read more]
———— Welcome Dr. Pac! ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on March 6, 2010
We are extremely happy to announce the arrival of Dr. Pac, an elephant/wildlife vet, who has joined the Elephant Nature Park team. [Read more]
———— Mintra One Year Anniversary, Nominated Head of Ele-Relations ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on March 4, 2010
Mid-February 2010 was Mintra's one year anniversary of life at Elephant Nature Park, and what a year it has been for her! Mintra is one of the most socially outgoing elephants you could ever meet. [Read more]
———— Happy 6 Year Anniversary, Mae Dta Keow! ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on March 4, 2010
At the end of January, Mae Dta Keow had her 6th anniversary of life at Elephant Nature Park. She has transformed from a very shy and troubled elephant who had problems bonding with others to a female who enjoys her girlfriends and isn't afraid to express herself. [Read more]
———— Elephant Gossip: Mae Tong Dee, Tong Tae, and Sri Nuan ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on March 3, 2010
On December 9th 2009 at around 5:45pm, Mae Tong Dee and Tong Tae's 1.5 year maternity leave ended. They greatly benefited from their time here at the Park, and our permanent resident females who became aunties to Tong Tae and friends of Mae Tong Dee benefited as well. [Read more]
———— We Welcome the Arrival of Jampaa! ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on February 28, 2010
December 22nd heralded the arrival of yet another new elephant at the Park. Her name is Jampaa, which means magnolia, and at 48 years old she is lucky to be starting an early retirement, thanks to a caring owner. [Read more]
———— Rara's Official Report: Summary of Autopsy ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on February 27, 2010
Rara's death came as a complete shock to all of us, and we are still reeling from her sudden passing. We all want to understand why Rara died so suddenly. Tissue samples were taken for necropsy for various tests, the results which are explained in this article. [Read more]
———— Kham Meun's Passing ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on February 22, 2010
We were hoping that we would be able to give you an update that would have news that Kham Meun was getting better, so we had waited for him to be back at home for a little while before we sent out an update. Sadly on the eve of writing this, Kham Meun passed away. [Read more]
———— Rara's Passing ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on February 22, 2010
Sadly the new year of 2010 has brought with it a horrible tragedy. Lovely young Rara, who only arrived on October 2nd died suddenly on the morning of January 6th. We at Elephant Nature Park are still in shock and can't believe that Rara is gone. [Read more]
———— KBS Comes to Elephant Nature Park ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on February 15, 2010
On February 9th, 2010, a television news team from KBS (Korean Broadcasting Company), one of South Korea's top news sources, visited Elephant Nature Park to do a news feature. [Read more]
———— New Surin Project Dates! ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on February 11, 2010
The next three trips will then leave on the following Mondays: March 15th, April 5th, and April 19th. [Read more]
———— Mahouts Trip to Pattaya ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on February 9, 2010
On the evening of February 4th, 2010, many of the mahouts and workers from Elephant Nature Park took a 2-day break from their duties and boarded vans headed for Pattaya. [Read more]
———— Mahouts, Park Staff, and their Families Tour Chiang Mai ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on February 7, 2010
On January 27th and 29th, Elephant Nature Foundation brought its mahouts and Park staff on a trip around Chiang Mai. [Read more]
———— Elephant Nature Foundation UK Events ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on February 3, 2010
There are two upcoming events in the UK. Please help us reach our fundraising targets for these events or email ENFUK@ElephantNatureFoundation.org to find out how you can help. Whether you live in the UK or elsewhere, any support is much appreciated! [Read more]
———— The New Year Starts with the Power of One ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on February 2, 2010
For the fourth year in a row, The Power of One group spent the first week of January volunteering at Elephant Nature Park. This year's group was comprised of a dynamic combination of students and mentors from both Thailand and the USA. [Read more]
———— Park Christmas Party Full of Glamour and Pageantry ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on February 2, 2010
This year's Park Christmas party far surpassed any past events. A big thanks goes out to Lek for putting on this celebration and to all of the staff who helped with preparations. Everyone worked so hard to make this Christmas party the best ever! [Read more]
———— Eager 5th Graders from APIS Volunteer at Park ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on February 2, 2010
From January 25th until January 28th, seventeen fifth graders accompanied by three teachers from American Pacific International School in Chiang Mai joined the volunteer program. [Read more]
———— ISV Group Builds Water Tanks in a Hmong Village ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on January 29, 2010
During the week of January 19-24, 2010, twelve students from ISV (International Student Volunteers) went on a Jumbo Express trip to assist Elephant Nature Park in the construction of water tanks. [Read more]
———— ENP Hosts Fish Conservation Event ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on January 26, 2010
On Saturday January 23rd, 2009 Elephant Nature Park hosted a fish conservation event. Lek has been trying to reduce over-fishing by educating people in local villages about how decrease their environmental impact. [Read more]
———— Planning Your Next Trip to Elephant Nature Park? ————
Posted by Moira and Phil on January 24, 2010
We have just got back from our fifth holiday to Northern Thailand. The sunshine? The friendly people? The delicious food? All good incentives for returning, but the main reason for it surpassing all other holiday destinations is, of course, Elephant Nature Park. [Read more]
———— Power of One Students Plant Trees with ENP ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on January 23, 2010
During the week of January 1st through January 8th, 42 student volunteers from Power of One came to work at Elephant Nature Park. This was the 4th year that Power of One volunteers came to the park. This group consisted of students and teachers from Thailand and others from abroad. [Read more]
———— ENF Celebrates Children's Day at Local School ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on January 22, 2010
On the second Saturday of every January, children throughout Thailand partake in Children's Day festivities. On January 9th, 2010, Elephant Nature Foundation brought 25 volunteers to put on one of these celebrations at Ban Low School in the Mae Taeng District of Chiang Mai. [Read more]
———— International Student Volunteers Update ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on January 22, 2010
From Tuesday the 5th of January though Sunday the 10th, a volunteer group from ISV (International Student Volunteers) joined with the staff from Elephant Nature Park to construct bathrooms for the nearby Lahu Village of Pa Meang. [Read more]
———— Elephant Art Auction: December 2009 ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on December 17, 2009
The artwork featured in this auction is a watercolor with watercolor pencil accent and was created by park resident Jodi Thomas. The painting is called "A Family Affair" and features Dok Ngern, Chang Yim, Faa Mai, Mae Bua Tong and Tong Jan in a tight cluster emerging from the river. The elephants are wet and shiny and the water is alive with movement as the eles move towards the shore [Read more]
———— Another Abused and Damaged Elephant is Rescued ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on December 17, 2009
Some of the injuries and psychological trauma that Ratree has sustained are permanent and she will never be able to recover from them. 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. [Read more]
———— The Arrival of RaRa ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on December 17, 2009
RaRa still has a long way to go, and she has many fears to get over. Her confidence needs to grow. All of this will take time. She is quickly becoming a favorite of volunteers and visitors since she seeks out the company of Westerners, whom she feels comfortable with. Hopefully as time passes, RaRa will feel equally comfortable with the other elephants as well and find ele-friends to spend her days with. [Read more]
———— Loy Kratong and the Second Annual Loy Katoy Show at the Park ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on December 17, 2009
Loy Kratong is one of Thailand's most beautiful festivals and is a favorite time of year at Elephant Nature Park. It is Loy Kratong tradition in Chiang Mai to have many beauty contests, so we decided to have our own here at the Park. This year will definitely go down in the Park history books as the most glamorous celebration to date! Last year two of our mahouts and a few of our male volunteers agreed to dress up as ladies for the first annual "Loy Katoy" show. [Read more]
———— Mae Tee Mae and Kham Paan Adjust to Life at the Park ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on December 17, 2009
Mae Tee and Mae Kham Paan are settling in quite well to life at the Park. Mae Kham Paan seems to be getting a little bit more comfortable spending time with Mae Kham Geao and her new friend Mae Tee, but still doesn't join them when they are grazing out in the back field. Mae Kham Paan prefers to stay by herself. Both old ladies are steadily putting on weight, especially Mae Tee! [Read more]
———— Mae Bua Loy's One-Year Anniversary ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on December 15, 2009
A year ago, we welcomed Mae Bua Loy: a lovely, gentle-natured elephant who loves to look after babies, after having her own taken away from her prematurely. Since her arrival she has been a member of the Tong Tae family and thoroughly enjoys her auntie role to the fullest. Despite her deformed back leg, she gets around quite well and keeps up with the rest of her group. [Read more]
———— 2010 Elephant Nature Park Calendar ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on December 14, 2009
The 2010 calendar from Elephant Nature Park is now available for sale at the Park gift shop. The beautiful photographs in the calendar were taken by Lek and feature best friends Jokia and Mae Perm together in the jungle, Tong Daeng and Mae Boon Ma (the white elephant) playing in the river and of course the two new babies, Faa Mai and Chang Yim and their families. [Read more]
———— Tong Daeng and Tong Tae: Soon to Leave the Park ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on December 13, 2009
Tong Daeng has been spending more and more time with Medo and Mae Lanna, especially in the mornings. Medo is still not quite sure what she thinks of him, mostly seeming to be annoyed by his intrusion on her and Mae Lanna's peaceful solitude. Tong Tae has been enjoying life to the fullest, just being a baby elephant and being looked after by his mother Mae Tong Dee and his three adopted aunties. [Read more]
———— Friend of the Park Has Story Published in Newspaper ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on December 12, 2009
Former Park visitor Kristi Koruna writes: "I visited the park in June 2009 and it made a great impression on me. I felt that I needed to alert more people about the importance of the work you are doing. I just found out that an article I wrote about the Park was published in Toronto's (Canada) biggest newspaper this past Sunday." [Read more]
———— Hope's Family and Friends ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on December 11, 2009
Not much is new with Mae Perm and Mae Jokia except that they have a new roommate. Rara now sleeps with the ladies and Hope, but hasn't bonded with them much farther than that. Hope has been spending more time under the observation deck after bathing, wooing the crowds with his playful antics squirting water on people and giving kisses. [Read more]
———— Ele Gossip: December 2009 ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on December 10, 2009
Speaking of Faa Mai and Chang Yim, they are both doing great. Faa Mai is a total "little girl," not nearly as rough as Chang Yim, very gentle natured. She has the cutest cartoon-style "butterfly wing" shaped ears, and is quite chubby. Her mother Mae Bua Tong does seem to be living up to the new "part-time mom" title and has found new friends in Mae Tee and Mae Kham Geao. [Read more]
———— ENF Meets with Surin Government, Showcases Surin Project ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on December 9, 2009
On November 19-21, 2009, Elephant Nature Foundation invited international press to Surin in northeastern Thailand to showcase its new Surin Project volunteer program and to attend a press conference hosted by the government of Surin at the Annual Elephant Round-up Festival. [Read more]
———— Khum Min Update ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on December 8, 2009
Khum Min is making a slow but steady recovery. He has been staying at the Lampang elephant hospital since late September. [Read more]
———— An Open Letter to Future Park Volunteers ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on April 19, 2008
Phyl Kirkland is a Trustee of Elephant Nature Foundation UK, and has volunteered at Elephant Nature Park more times than even an elephant could remember. At our request, she has written up a list of suggestions for future volunteers, to help them get the most out of their time at the Park. [Read more]
———— May 2007 Newsletter ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on May 26, 2007
Our May 2007 Newsletter was released in celebration of Songkran, the Buddhist New Year. This issue features updates on the Park's new elephants (and new water buffalo!), gossip about a bit of ele-romance, and much more! [Read more]
———— Baby Cow Born at Park ————
Posted by Jessica McHugh on December 29, 2006
It was known that Brown Cow and White Cow had made several unauthorized visits to nearby farms where they met other cows. But what took place during these visits was unclear; that is, at least until the morning of September 24th. [Read more]
———— An Important Announcement to Our Friends ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on September 20, 2006
On September 19th, military leaders staged a coup d'etat in Bangkok and overthrew Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. To date, there has been no violence in connection with this event. [Read more]
———— Children's Groups Visit the Park ————
Posted by Lek Chailert on September 16, 2006
Every year Elephant Nature Park provides this open day complimentary program for under-privileged Thai children (from young age to University age) to come to learn about the elephant in the park. [Read more]
———— Medo Helps Heal Mae Mai ————
Posted by Lek Chailert on September 12, 2006
When Thong Bai became sick Medo tried to help by offering whatever comfort she could give. She would often visit Mae Mai and Thong Bai at their shelter. [Read more]
———— My First Day at the Elephant Park ————
Posted by Amy Heaton on September 3, 2006
I got to wash an elephant in the river today, and feed a baby and its Mum with fruit. They are lucky here now, but apart from the babies, they are all broken, abused and being helped to be reborn. [Read more]
———— Mae Mai & Thong Bai: Unconditional Love ————
Posted by Lek Chailert on August 12, 2006
Mae Mai would munch grass and cane then pass the moist leaves for Thong Bai. They enjoyed over twenty months together as bosom friends. The depth of love and care they had for each other is hard for us to understand. [Read more]
———— Grandmother Elephant Passes Away ————
Posted by Lek Chailert on August 12, 2006
Late afternoon tears began rolling down Mae Mai's cheeks. At 3.35 pm the following day Thong Bai had passed away, thankfully with no pain. She just closed her eyes and rested forever. [Read more]
———— Magical 11 Days ————
Posted by Ilin Hsu on August 10, 2006
This is a trip that I had looked forward to for seven months. A 7-day stay turned into 11 days. I wish I could have stayed longer. If to describe my experience at the park in one word, it would be "magical"! [Read more]
———— Thong Bai's Amazing Survival ————
Posted by Lek Chailert on August 6, 2006
On early morning of Friday 29 July 06, at 4 am, park mahout Zorns, heard screaming from Thong Bai's best friend, Mae Mai. They found Thong Bai laying on the ground with Mae Mai desperately trying to lift Thong Bai with her head and trunk. [Read more]
———— The Rescue of Medo ————
Posted by Lek Chailert on July 6, 2006
We first saw Medo found in February and we couldn't believe that they still used her to work. But, when we looked into her eyes, we found that she is willing to live. [Read more]
———— Inspiring, Peaceful, Heartwarming ————
Posted by Sanne on May 12, 2006
Living here is amazing, an experience that is difficult to describe. A fantastic environment, great animals, inspiring people, beautiful stories. So incredibly peaceful. It is weird how fast you get used to someone or something, how fast you get attached to something or someone. [Read more]
———— Rescued Baby Elephant: Story Update ————
Posted by Elephant Nature Foundation on May 6, 2006
On 06 Jan 2006 we rescued a mother and baby elephant from a trekking camp. Both mother (Thong-Kham) and her baby arrived in very bad condition, the baby was born early born and arrived in the world under weight. [Read more]
