Asian Elephant Projects

The elephants at Elephant Delight love hanging out in the lush green valley, in the mud pit and in the river together. They can often be seen showing affection for one another and communicating with their trunks.

Spend an amazing day with beautiful elephants in nature at Elephant Delight. The day ends with bamboo rafting or tubing down the river. Book your visit @ www.asianelephantprojects.com/elephant-delight

Yesterday on World Elephant Day the herd at Care for Elephants - Mae Dok, Thad Dao and Sai Thong - were served a delicious fruit cake on the grass by the river and shared it harmoniously until nothing remained. Big thanks to Liz for treating the elephants to this cake in celebration of World Elephant Day and for always supporting the elephants at the Saddle Off Projects.

Today is World Elephant Day, a day to honor elephants, one of the world’s most incredible animals who now more than ever need to be protected and treated with respect, kindness, and dignity.

Thank you to all of the kind people choosing to support ethical elephant tourism by visiting one of our Saddle Off projects – Sunshine for elephants, Care for Elephants, Elephant Serenity, Majestic Elephant Project, Elephant Pride, Elephant Delight and Journey to Freedom – where rescued elephants can live a more natural life.

Thanks to everyone who has supported the elephants with food gifts, fruit cakes and sponsorships. A special thanks to our amazing supporters, Kim, Liz and Melinda from Elephants Austin for treating the elephants to fruit platters and cakes for World Elephant Day.

Last week Kham Meun and Dodo enjoyed an enormous fruit cake at Karen Elephant Home. The cake was made by project owner, Kreing Krai, in the shape of a flower and included watermelon, pineapple, bananas, mangoes, cucumbers, corn, and pumpkin. Dodo arrived first and was soon joined by his older brother, Kham Meun. They were both excited to see their fruit feast waiting for them and shared their cake peacefully by the stream as the rain gently fell.

We’d like to thank our wonderful supporter Kim for giving these elephant brothers a fruit cake and wish her son, Tony, a very Happy Birthday.

If you would like to give a food gift to the elephants at the Saddle Off projects for World Elephant Day on 12 August, please place your order as soon as possible @ https://www.asianelephantprojects.com/product-category/elephant-food-gifts

Sri Prai forages for fallen figs and vines in the forest by the stream at Sunshine for elephants.

Sri Prai was born in 1990, and used to work deep in the forest along the Thai-Burmese border hauling logs. She was rescued in 2019 and came to live at Sunshine for Elephants, near Chiang Mai. When she first arrived, Sri Prai was easily scared by unfamiliar sounds such as cars and motorbikes and was not so friendly with the other elephants. It took several months for the trauma of her past to subside and for Sri Prai to feel at home. Her life has changed dramatically since being rescued - now free to wander the forest. She has a penchant for figs and bamboo shoots, and will spend hours searching out these delicacies. Over the last year she has formed a bond with Ta Mon and these two elephants can often be seen showing affection to one another.

Spend an incredible day observing these beautiful elephants foraging in the jungle, swimming in the river, and doing what comes naturally at Sunshine for Elephants. Private tours are available for 6 people @ www.asianelephantprojects.com/sunshine-for-elephants

At Karen Elephant Serenity, Heng Heng and her family were treated to a massive yummy fruit cake, thanks to our amazing supporter Kim in celebration of her granddaughter’s birthday. We’d like to wish Ivy a very Happy 8th Birthday for today!

The elephants ran up from the valley, this time Mae Kham Suk arrived first followed by Heng Heng, and lastly Kham Noi. The elephants were excited to see their cake waiting for them and wasted no time getting stuck into it, with Heng Heng piling up the banana rice base with her foot and scooping it up with her trunk - her signature move. It was raining gently this day but that didn’t bother the elephants who were focused on their fruit feast, which was the highlight of their day.

Visit & support the beautiful elephant family at Karen Elephant Serenity @ www.asianelephantprojects.com/karen-elephant-serenity

The elephants at Journey to Freedom hang out together peacefully in the jungle one afternoon drinking at the edge of the stream. The close-knit herd includes Honey and her daughter Buay, Nong Pon and her daughter Gee Lee, and Boo Jhan. It is now the rice growing season and so with the rice planted, the terraces are filled with water at Journey to Freedom.

If you are traveling to Chiang Mai and would like an amazing experience helping to care for this beautiful herd and observing them foraging and interacting in the remote jungles of Northern Thailand, book to volunteer for a week at Journey to Freedom @ www.asianelephantprojects.com/journey-to-freedom

Big thanks to Trunks Up for supporting the herd at Journey to Freedom @ https://jointrunksup.org/journey-to-freedom.

The herd at Care for Elephants - Thad Dao, Sai Thong and Mae Dok - enjoys a feast of fruit and vegetables under the forest canopy while the rain falls gently against the leaves. Elephants love the rain and don’t mind getting wet while eating - especially when sweet treats are on offer. Sincere thanks to Liz for giving the herd this picnic bounty and for always supporting the elephants at the Saddle Off projects.

Visit & support the elephants at Care for Elephants @ www.asianelephantprojects.com/care-for-elephants

Recently, Ta Mon and Sri Prai were served a fruit cake in the rock garden at Sunshine for elephants. The beautiful cake was made by Kwan with a base in the shape of an elephant, surrounded by bananas, pineapple, watermelon, carrots, corn, pumpkin, and sweet potatoes on a bed of grass.

As usual Ta Mon, the older and more passive elephant who eats daintily arrived first and got to eat alone for a little while before being joined by Sri Prai, who likes to scoop trunkfuls of fruit into her mouth as fast as she can. In the past, Ta Mon was distrustful of Sri Prai who is a much younger elephant and so didn’t like eating close to her. Over the last year, these two elephants have bonded and can now share food standing side by side, touching trunks at times.

We’d like to wish Andreia a very Happy Birthday and thank our amazing kind hearted supporter, Kim, for giving the elephants this delicious fruit cake.

Visit and support the beautiful elephants at Sunshine for Elephants @ www.asianelephantprojects.com/sunshine-for-elephants

The elephants at Journey to Freedom flap their ears to cool down in the humid weather while they finish off a platter of fruit and vegetables thanks to our kindhearted supporter, Liz. These elephants are always so happy to receive fruit and vegetable treats and their excitement is obvious.

Spend an adventurous week in the remote jungles of northern Thailand, observing this tight-knit herd foraging, playing, communicating and showing affection for one another. Volunteers help to care for the elephants and positively impact their lives and those of the people in the Karen community by teaching English at the local school. Volunteers also help to protect the forest by tying blessed sashes around trees. More info @ www.asianelephantprojects.com/journey-to-freedom

Thanks to Trunks Up for always supporting the herd at Journey to Freedom @ https://jointrunksup.org/journey-to-freedom.

Come to the jungles of Chiang Mai and spend the day hiking trails with elephants, watching them forage on native plants, taking a mud bath and swimming in the river at Elephant Delight. End the day floating down the stunning Mae Taeng River without a care in the world.

www.asianelephantprojects.com/elephant-delight

Heng Heng appears from the jungle and eagerly runs down the hill towards the platter of fruit waiting on the ground and pulls up just in time. She’s soon joined by her nanny, Kham Noi, and mother, Mae Kham Suk, who waste no time scooping up the delicious feast of fruit and vegetables, which included watermelon, pineapple, papaya, cucumbers, corn and sweet potatoes. A big thanks to our wonderful supporter, Vickie, for her food gifts and generous support of the elephants after visiting Heng Heng and her family at Karen Elephant Serenity earlier this year.

Meet these beautiful elephants and spend a magical day with Heng Heng and her family in the forest at Karen Elephant Serenity or support them with a food gift @ www.asianelephantprojects.com/karen-elephant-serenity

At Majestic Elephant Project, the elephants spend their days wandering along jungle paths, foraging on bamboo and other native plants, scratching their bodies against rocks and swimming in the river.

Thanks to our guest, Kelly, for her wonderful review about her visit to Majestic Elephant Project.

“As a registered veterinary nurse, I researched for hours trying to find the right organization to support. When I found Asian elephant project, I was impressed by their information and the feedback I had received from fellow veterinary workers which is why I booked with them. Our tour guide ‘Ging’ was kind and genuine with a real love for the elephants. We were treated with respect, felt safe and were well fed! We shared so many laughs and we’re in awe the whole day, it felt like a dream! Thanks so much again to Majestic Elephant Project for allowing us to participate in your wonderful efforts. We will be forever grateful for this opportunity of a lifetime.”

For an an amazing experience with elephants followed by whitewater rafting book your visit to Majestic Elephant Project @ www.asianelephantprojects.com/majestic-elephant-project

Thad Dao, Sai Thong and Mae Dok are at home foraging in the nearby jungle, stripping bamboo leaves, pulling down sections of medicinal vine and a huge array of other plants that they are attracted to.

Visitors to Care for Elephants get to walk the elephants in the forest and watch them doing what comes naturally - foraging for wild vegetation, scratching against trees, giving themselves a mud bath, playing in the river, and socializing with each other - a enchanting experience. The day ends with a visit to Elephant Nature Park where you can obverse the rescued elephants interacting within their chosen herds. Support and visit the herd at Care for Elephants @ www.asianelephantprojects.com/care-for-elephants

Ben from Care for Elephants created another spectacular and imaginative cake for the elephants thanks to our amazing supporter, Melinda. We’d like to wish Darren, who is a serious Elvis fan, a very Happy 60th Birthday.

This beautiful project is struggling to survive at the moment and could really use some support from visitors. If you are planning a trip to Chiang Mai and would like spend a magical day with Sai Thong, Mae Dok and Thad Dao followed by a visit to Elephant Nature Park, book your trip at www.asianelephantprojects.com/care-for-elephants

You can also support the herd at Care for Elephants with a fruit cake or food gift, which they always appreciate so much.

Join Lek in Australia & New Zealand. Our founder Saengduean Lek Chailert will be visiting Australia and New Zealand to bring the latest documentary about her work, called Elephant Mother.

The documentary film will be screened in the locations listed below and Lek will be present at each location for a post-screening Q&A.
**All tickets on sale now!!**

Australia 🇦🇺
Perth
Sunday 27th August at 6.30pm
Windsor Cinema
Monday 28th August at 6.30pm
Windsor Cinema

Adelaide
Thursday 31st August at 7.30pm
Regal Theatre

Melbourne
Saturday 2nd September at 6.30pm
Palace Westgarth Cinema
Sunday 3rd September at 3pm
Kino Cinema
Monday 4th September at 6.30pm
Victoria University, City Queen Campus

Sydney
Wednesday 6th September at 8pm
Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace
Thursday 7th September at 2.30pm
Diversarty Art Gallery - Northern Beaches

Byron Bay
Saturday 9th September at 6.30pm
Palace Byron Bay

Brisbane
Tuesday 12th September at 6.30 pm
Palace Barracks Cinema
Tickets and more info here: tinyurl.com/Elephant-Mother

New Zealand 🇳🇿
Auckland
Thursday 14th September at 6:15pm
Fairways Event Centre, Wairau Valley

Christchurch
Monday 18th September at 6:15pm
Aurora Centre
Tickets and more info here: http://tinyurl.com/Elephant-MotherNZ

We hope to see many of our friends down under!

Repost from Save Elephant Foundation - มูลนิธิอนุรักษ์ช้างและสิ่งแวดล้อม

Sai Thong, Mae Dok, and Thad Dao are always super happy on the days when they receive a gourmet cake. We’d like to thank our wonderful supporter, Alice Chien, for giving this delicious cake to the herd at Care for Elephants.

The amazing cake was created by Ben and Jin and included a base molded into the shape of a heart, surrounded with hearts made from watermelon. It also featured a flower design intricately carved by Ben using a whole watermelon. The cake included a variety of fruit and vegetables - bananas, watermelon, mangoes, melon, apples, cucumbers, corn, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and banana tree stalks. The elephants enjoyed their delicious cake under the forest canopy and shared it peacefully, devouring every morsel.

Visit and support the elephants at Care for Elephants @ www.asianelephantprojects.com/care-for-elephants

Kham Meun is a mesmerizing sight as he hangs out by the river at Karen Elephant Home and then climbs up the embankment.

Karen Elephant Home plans to reopen to visitors soon.

Big thanks to Trunks Up and Johnna & Buddy for always supporting Kham Meun and his borther, Dodo.

We recently delivered a pickup truck of fruit which was shared between the herd at Journey to Freedom and the elephants at Karen Elephant Home.

The elephants at Journey to Freedom, whose diet consists mostly of natural jungle vegetation, don’t get fruit very often and so were super excited to see their banquet of fruit awaiting them. The fruit was prepared by the Karen family at Journey to Freedom, Boon Tu and Air, as well as the mahouts, and included bananas, watermelon, pineapple, mangoes, cucumbers, corn, and sweet potatoes. A big thanks to our amazing supporter, Liz, for providing this fruit feast for the the elephants at Journey to Freedom, which made their day.

Spend a memorable week volunteering at this ethical elephant project in the remote jungles of northern Thailand, observing the elephants doing what comes naturally - foraging, playing and communicating with each other as a herd. Volunteers positively impact the lives of elephants and people in the Karen community by planting and cutting grass for the elephants, preparing medicinal health balls, teaching English at the local school, as well as helping to protect the forest. The week ends with a Buddhist blessing ceremony to thank volunteers for their participation and support.

More about volunteering at Journey to Freedom @ www.asianelephantprojects.com/journey-to-freedom

Thanks to our guest, Kelly, for her great review about her visit with Dylan to Sunshine for elephants.

“As a registered veterinary nurse, I researched for hours trying to find the right organization to support. When I found Asian Elephant Projects, I was impressed by their information and the feedback I had received from fellow veterinary workers which is why I booked with them. Our tour guide, Art was kind, genuine and knowledgeable with a real love for the elephants. You could tell he really cared for the elephants, the project and the mission. We were treated with respect, felt safe and were well fed! The food was amazing!! Some of the best Thai food we had eaten on our whole trip. We shared so many laughs and we’re in awe the whole day, it felt like a dream! Thank you so much again for allowing us to participate in your wonderful efforts. We will be forever grateful for this opportunity of a lifetime.”

Support the beautiful elephants at Sunshine for Elephants by visiting them if you’re in Chiang Mai or giving them a food gift @ www.asianelephantprojects.com/sunshine-for-elephants

Kaavan looks so happy and relaxed exploring his jungle home at Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary, free from his traumatic past spent in lonely confinement at a zoo in Pakistan. Now, master of his jungle domain, Kaavan can finally enjoy his life where he respected and cared for with love.

If you’re traveling to Siem Reap, Cambodia and would like to meet Kaavan and two beautiful female elephants living there, you can visit them for a single day, an overnight stay, or volunteer for a week. More details at: www.asianelephantprojects.com/elephant-sanctuary-cambodia

Big thanks to Trunks Up for supporting the elephants at CWS @ https://jointrunksup.org/cambodia-wildlife

📷 by Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary

Last week we visited Karen Elephant Home to deliver fruit to Kham Meun and Dodo. Project owner, Krieng Krai, who is in the process of planting rice, along with the team from Karen Elephant Home prepared huge platter of fruit for the elephants on a bed of banana leaves which included bananas, pineapple, watermelon, papaya, mangoes, corn, cucumbers and sweet potatoes. Thanks so much to Elephants Austin and Melinda for giving these incredible elephant brothers a fruit feast, which always makes them so happy.

Support the elephants with a food gift @ www.asianelephantprojects.com/shop

Mae Boon Peng and Mae Chandi happily rub against each other and sling dirt over their backs, high on the wet and misty hilltops at Majestic Elephant Project.

Thanks to our guest, Jennifer, for her feedback on her visit to Majestic Elephant Project, “This was our best tour in Thailand to date. Perfect in every way. We really appreciated the in depth knowledge and info provided by Por and felt good about supporting this work. Great day.”

Visit Majestic Elephant Project for an exciting day with these beautiful elephants – observing them wandering along mountain jungle paths, foraging, taking a mud bath and swimming in the river, ending the day with a whitewater rafting adventure downstream.
www.asianelephantprojects.com/majestic-elephant-project

We’d like to thank all of the kind hearted people who have supported the elephants at the Saddle Off projects over the past few years, by giving the them fruit cakes and food gifts or by visiting them and spending a day with the elephants.

It’s been a difficult few years for the ethical elephant projects supported by Asian Elephant Projects - and even now they are still struggling to recover from the lockdowns, sometimes having no visitors for several days a week.

Your kind support enables the Saddle Off Projects to continue to provide a better life for their elephants.

www.asianelephantprojects.com/reservations / www.asianelephantprojects.com/shop

The elephants at Elephant Delight always look happy when they are able to fling mud over their bodies, giving themselves a skin treatment and then cool off in the river together.

Visitors have the opportunity to prepare food and feed the elephants and then join them on a picturesque walk through the forest and grassy hillside. Later, watch the elephants swimming in the river, ending the day with bamboo rafting or tubing down the river. Book your visit to Elephant Delight @ www.asianelephantprojects.com/elephant-delight

Earlier this year our wonderful friend and supporter, Kim, visited Care for Elephants and had the the opportunity to feed senior elephant, Sai Thong watermelon and walk alongside beautiful Thad Dao. We’d like to wish Kim a very Happy Birthday for today and extend our heartfelt thanks to her for her support, care and love of so many elephants.

If you’re planning a trip to Chiang Mai and would like to spend a magical day with three special elephants, followed by a visit to Elephant Nature Park in the afternoon book your visit to Care for Elephants @ www.asianelephantprojects.com/care-for-elephants

At Sunshine for Elephants recently, Sri Prai pulled down a vine using her trunk and then proceeded to munch on the woody parts. When they have the chance to forage in their natural habitat, elephants seem to intrinsically know which plants are good for them, selecting various leaves, grasses, bark, vines, roots and of course fruit such as figs or wild bananas if they come across them.

Visit Sunshine for elephants to spend a magical day walking with elephants, observing them foraging foraging in the jungle, swimming in the river, and interacting with each other @ www.asianelephantprojects.com/sunshine-for-elephants

The elephants at Majestic Elephant Project love swimming in the river and on this day something in the air really caught their attention, much to the fascination of the visitors looking on.

Visit Majestic Elephant Project for an amazing day walking with these beautiful elephants along mountain jungle paths, feeding them fruit, observing them foraging on native plants, and swimming in the river. The day ends with an exciting whitewater rafting adventure downstream. Book your trip @ www.asianelephantprojects.com/majestic-elephant-project

The elephants at Journey to Freedom share a strong bonds and love to explore the forest together while foraging on native plants and interacting with each other.

Spend an unforgettable week observing the herd at Journey to Freedom hanging out together in their jungle habitat and helping to prepare food and care for them by volunteering at Journey to Freedom - www.asianelephantprojects.com/journey-to-freedom

You can also support the beautiful elephants at Journey to Freedom through the Trunks Up sponsorship program @ https://jointrunksup.org/journey-to-freedom

One day last week when there were no visitors at Sunshine for elephants, Ta Mon and Sri Prai, wandered deep into the jungle in search of natural vegetation. While it is still the dry season in Thailand, recent rains have transformed the forest into a lush green oasis. The elephants came across an old fig tree near a stream and spent hours seeking out sweet figs fallen to the ground, one by one, with their dexterous trunks.

If you are traveling to Chiang Mai and would like to spend a day in beautiful natural surroundings, observing these lovely elephants foraging and interacting while walking along side them, visit Sunshine for Elephants @ www.asianelephantprojects.com/sunshine-for-elephants

In celebration of Tony and Isla’s engagement, the elephants at Care for Elephants – Sai Thong, Mae Dok, and Thad Dao – were given a delicious fruit cake in the forest recently. Thanks to Tony’s mother, Kim, for treating the elephants to another cake and for her committed care for the elephants. We’d like to wish of Tony and Isla lots of love and happiness in their life together. ❤️❤️❤️

The beautiful elephants loved their cake and a couple of brazen cows stopped by to grab a few pieces that had fallen to the ground.

Treat the herd at Care for Elephants to a cake or if you’re in Chiang Mai, visit them for an incredible day observing elephants doing what comes naturally @ www.asianelephantprojects.com/care-for-elephants

Kaavan, Di Ploh, and Sarai Mia are very much at home, wandering through their jungle habitat at Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary.

If you’re traveling to Siem Reap, Cambodia and would like to spend time with these beautiful elephants, you can visit them for a single day, an overnight stay, or volunteer for a week to help care for the elephants. More details at: www.asianelephantprojects.com/elephant-sanctuary-cambodia

📷 by Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary