Following my mission on Borneo. I fly to Thailand for Elephant Nature Park.

An elephant sanctuary to Chiang mai.

This sanctuary is a kind of retirement home for these magnificent beings.

Lek, a Thai woman, struggles to save the few remaining specimens in Asia (1,500 into the wild, all the others are exploited for tourism (I'll go further), or used to help the peasants) . An ancestral tradition remains named "The matage", the principle is simple: "break the spirit" of the elephant. As two globetrotters, Seth and Lise, explain, "the origin of phajaan comes from the ancestral belief that one can separate the mind of an elephant from its body so that it loses its reflexes and instinct natural wilderness and be completely under the control of man ". Specifically, it is to subject the elephant to torture (peaks in the eyes, back, ears ...). Almost 40% dies after 3 days ... (A video is available below).

It is absolutely necessary to boycott any tourist exploitation. Avoid treks where the basket is positioned on the backbone (the most fragile area in this animal), boycott street photos in Bangkok or on the beach. Elephants have very sensitive soles, it is a torture for them to walk on the asphalt ... Same for those poor camps where you can have fun painting an elephant with his trunk! Behind every training there is a mat. Think about it.

Our mission there is the total welfare to the animal. Most of them have lost all wild instincts. Brushing them with mud every night for the parasites, bathing them in the river, and also participating in the meal are all tasks to be accomplished. There is tremendous stewardship to provide for a reserve like this. Lek also works a whole village to feed fruit and vegetables center.

Our role also extends to raising awareness among the public and especially schoolchildren. There are visits to nearby schools to educate the youngest in the conservation of the species. Lek has received numerous death threats to show a degrading image of the country in the eyes of the world. But that's the sad reality. She makes things happen little by little. She also intervenes free of charge with owners who can no longer look after their pet with their "Jumbo Express" emergency service.

All funds collected are returned to the sanctuary for food, maintenance and wages. For information, 1 elephant costs $ 100 / day between food and mahout's salary.

In the center there are also buffaloes, pigs and a flock of cats and stray dogs that have found a little paradise here.

If you want to participate:

The site of Elephant Nature Park: http://www.elephantnaturepark.org/

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