May 23, 2019– Relief and joy were palpable as two rescued Asian elephants—one unwell and one due to give birth within four months – arrived safely on Sunday to Samui Elephant Haven, an ethical elephant sanctuary located in southern Thailand.
Escorted by renowned elephant conservationist and Save Elephant Foundation Founder Lek Chailert and Samui Elephant Haven Founder Suriya Salangam, elephants Sri Nuan and Somboon will now enjoy a life free from chains, bull hooks and the crush of elephant riding.
Their rescue was in stark contrast to the heart-breaking story of three-year-old “Dumbo”, whose tragic death made headlines around the world the very same weekend. The baby elephant, who was forced to perform daily for tourists at Phuket Zoo, was so weak that his back legs snapped. He died a week later according to Moving Animals, who had launched a viral campaign to free the emaciated elephant last month.
In Thailand, there are less than 4,000 captive working Asian elephants and around 1,000 living in the wild. Most captive elephants in Thailand are involved in elephant tourism. For over two decades, Chailert has been leading the movement toward the ethical treatment of elephants in Asia and ethical elephant tourism. Samui Elephant Haven is one of 40 “Saddle Off” projects supported by Save Elephant Foundation.
Walk to Freedom
“I would like to thank everyone who helped us bring these girls to freedom,” said Chailert. “It was beautiful to see so many local people, tourists and expats joining us on the walk to their new home. It gave me hope to see the love expressed for the elephants. We need people to support projects such as Samui Elephant Haven so we can rescue more elephants and give them the life they deserve.”
Escorted by police, Sri Nuan and Somboon walked overnight along Samui’s ring road from a riding camp through Lamai, Chaweng and Bophut, with dozens of supporters joining the caravan and local food stalls along the route giving bananas, pineapples, watermelons and coconuts to the gentle giants. The elephants were walked because of Somboon’s pregnancy and concern over the distress Sri Nuan would experience riding in a truck for the first time in more than 20 years.
Upon their arrival at Samui Elephant Haven, the two elephants were greeted enthusiastically by the sanctuary’s other elephants, including Somboon’s seven-year-old daughter Nong Pech.
Somboon’s unborn baby will never experience the torture she underwent, and after working in captivity their entire lives, Somboon and Sri Nuan will enjoy a life of leisure, living in nature with peace and dignity. With their arrival, Samui Elephant Haven is now home to nine elephants ranging in age from one-and-a-half to 61 years old. Visitors to Samui Elephant Haven will be able to come and experience the majesty of these extraordinary animals in their natural surroundings.
“It has been my dream since I was 10 years old to give elephants their freedom. Last night gave me hope because so many people want to help and support us,” said Samui Elephant Haven Founder Suriya Salangam, whose family has worked with elephants for over 200 years. “Somboon and Sri Nuan will have a better life now. I am grateful to have the opportunity to take care of them and all the elephants in our sanctuary and will work to free more so they can live a better life.”
With that life behind them, these lucky elephants are now free to express their natural instincts without fear – interacting with each other in beautiful natural surroundings, foraging on native plants, and playing together in their custom built pool and mud pit. Visitors to the sanctuary are provided with a meaningful encounter with these magnificent animals in an environment where they are respected and admired.
Save Elephant Foundation is a Thai non–profit organization dedicated to providing care and assistance to Thailand’s captive elephant population through a multifaceted approach involving local community outreach, rescue and rehabilitation programs, and educational ecotourism operations.
CONTACTS:
For more information about the Save Elephant Foundation, please contact Ryan Emmerson, Projects Director, at ryan@saveelephant.org or visit www.saveelephant.org.
For more information about Samui Elephant Haven, please email info@samuielephanthaven.org or visit www.samuielephanthaven.org.
Issued by GHC Asia on behalf of Save Elephant Foundation
For media enquiries or further information please contact:
Chloe Chan | +852 3163 0183 | chloe.chan@ghcasia.com
