Elephant's World

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I love elephants. Every time I've visited Thailand I've wanted to go and spend a day with them but it's never worked out. I wanted to do more than just ride one (which is actually really hard on them), I wanted to interact with them. When I ran across Elephant's World on the internet I thought, "This is it! This is my chance!" (Really, look at their site!) I read a few blogs written by others who had visited and it all looked and sounded perfect. I booked my reservation (they pick you up) and eagerly anticipated the day. I hoped that my expectations wouldn't be to high.

My expectations were exceeded.

We arrived and fed the 12 elephants breakfast. I had brought bananas for, "making new friends," but those were put to the side for later. I learned that they like watermelon the best and they eat 10%!o(MISSING)f their body weight daily. Considering each animal weighs about a ton or more (1000 kg) that's a lot of food! Just hand the food to their trunk and they put it in their mouth. Then they wipe their slobbery trunk all over your shirt because they want more. At least, that's what happened to me.

After feeding time was mud bath time. Litteraly. Mud acts as a sunscreen for them. We went down to the small lake/pond and they smeared mud all over their backs and bodies. The only part they can't reach is their trunks, so we got to wade in and help. I was hesitant at first, but then realized when else will I get to play in the mud with elephants? I had mud up to my calves and just dug in. When the elephant flapped her ears to cool off she hit me in the face (it hurts more than you'd think) and got me covered from head to toe. This happened twice. Good thing I was already covered in slobber and didn't really mind.

We worked to chop up vegetables (squash, corn, rice, and other goodies) to be cooked for their lunch. After it's cooked to a steaming pulp (it does smell good) it's spread in trays to cool for a few hours. While cooking, we learned more about the elephants from the people who run the camp and the volunteers. There are 12 elephants right now, and each of them is here because they are either injured and healing or were mistreated before and can't work anymore. In many cases the mahouts (their handlers) had to bring them into cities for work because of changes in industry. As a result, some were sold, some were beaten, and many mistreated and injured. One is permanently blind in both eyes and we were told to not approach her for fear of startling her. (A good idea since there were many small children.) We were taught how to approach them (from the side) and that we should only do so if their mahout was with them. The mahouts here are all kind and gentle with the elephants.

The center owns most of the elephants but a few are just there recovering. When they're healthy again, they'll go back to work, soemtimes to people who mistreated them in the first place. The camp is trying to buy the elephants but they're expensive, I think I was told up to 20,000 USD per animal. But when you're looking at them and they're looking at you, all you want to do is love them.

After our lunch we went out in search of banana trees. I guess they only bear fruit twice and then need to be cut back. We cut down the trees and hauled them back to the trucks. It was really cute to watch all the little children working together to carry the trees, some only holding onto the tips of the branches. I must say, those tress were heavier than they looked, but mostly they were just bulky.

After our tree adventure we fed the elephants the rice mixture we'd made earlier. This was my favorite part of the day. One elephant that I spent a lot of time with is quite old. Around age 60 they lose their teeth, so for her, I had to put my hand into her mouth and have her suck the ball of rice off of my hand. It's a very odd feeling to have your whole hand in an elephant's mouth. It's a little scary at first because you don't know what to expect, but then you get used to it and enjoying bonding with the elephant.

After feeding time is bath and swimming time. We went back down to the water and swam and climbed and scrubbed the elephants. I'd hoped to ride an older, gentler elephant, but somehow I managed to get the young, fiesty, bucking bronco elephant instead. She was the largest one and I could barely climb up even with help. She tried to throw me off several times and then tried to smash me between her large butt and her friend's. Luckily the mahout and a kind French man saved me.

After bath time we all waded out and walked back up to the main building. It was snack time again. While the novelty of feeding them was wearing off, I still had fun. My inner child was in heaven.

I realized, though, that I'd not made any new friends with the bananas I'd brought. I'd even bought extra so I would be really friendly! I asked the woman in charge about it. She wasn't sure where my bananas had gone, so she found some for me and suggested I go with the mahout down to the lunch area and help her feed the blind elephant. I agred that this seemed like a wonderful plan.

We drove down to the other area, aware we were short on time. We cautiously approached the blind elephant, me behind the mahout. She helped me at first, but then it was just me and the elephant. I started talking to her and she responded (perhaps more to the promise of bananas, but I like to think it was my voice) and relaxed. We stood with our heads nearly touching as I fed her one unpeeled banana after another. It was like we were the only two creatures in the world. It felt private. It was magical.

When I ran out of bananas we said good bye to the elephant and raced back to the main building. I climbed into an open truck for the ride back to Kanchanaburi, the wind in my hair, and my face beaming with joy.

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Photos

Mud acts like a sunscreen
I'm up to my calves in it.

banana trees
They only produce fruit twice and then need to be cut back to regrow. Only takes a few months for the process.

Comments

[RENanDREW]

elephants...
great blog! will keep this place in mind for our next trip to thailand :)