Phuket Elephant Sanctuary

 







   Yesterday I took the ferry and bus to Phuket. It was another long day of travel, and tough to say goodbye to Koh Pha Ngan, but there's more to see and do! This morning I immediately began researching elephant sanctuaries to find a place that is truly ethical and exists to provide a safe, natural habitat for rescued elephants. Phuket Elephant Rescue is the first of it's kind in the area and modeled after the famous sanctuary in Chiang Mai. 

   I immediately booked a half day experience for the morning and took a taxi to the check-in building. From there, we rode in the back of a pickup for about 15 minutes to get to the actual sanctuary. We were greeted with coffee, fruit, and other snacks. The setting was beautiful, hard to believe it exists so close to town. We then watched a short video on how the sanctuary came to be, how the tourism and logging industries still abuse elephants, and how they go about rescuing them. 

   PES has rescued 21 elephants in total, and 12 live on the sanctuary today. They range in age from 40-71, and some have serious medical issues because of the abuse they suffered. The staff are kind and attentive, and you can see how much they love their work and their elephants. 

  I got to feed Malia, one of the smallest elephants at 42 years old, some fruit. We walked around with our tour guide as he introduced us to several elephants and told us their stories. It was an amazing experience, probably the highlight of my trip now. This is the kind of work I want to be involved in, and they have a week-long volunteer program that I would absolutely come back to participate in!

   These beautiful animals deserve to live in their natural habitat, free of chains and human abuse. I hope if you ever visit Thailand or other places that have elephants, that you will only support places promoting their safety and well-being. Thank you PES for an amazing experience!












Comments

  1. Mama DonnaNovember 22, 2024 at 10:11 PM

    Cliff!! This is so cool! When you were 4 , you said you wanted to President so you could save the whales at Marine World. So maybe it will be the elephants you save. They are beautiful. You have to share with Vicki! Great pictures!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. CliffordNovember 23, 2024 at 7:02 AM

      Amazing animals/beings. Very smart, as are whales, which is why humans tried to capitalize off them and put them in shows. But we know better now, and must do better

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