#Tag 19: Elephants

Today, a big wish of mine came true. I got up close with elephants 😊

Today, I visited the GREEN ELEPHANT SANCTUARY PARK in Phuket. There, elephants are 'rescued' and allowed to live a comfortable and, above all, appropriate life. This reserve opened just 3 weeks ago, so it is still in its early stages. It is managed by two Swiss individuals who are passionate about elephants. Currently, there are 5 elephants living in the reserve, one of which is a baby elephant and another elephant is on the way. However, elephants take a bit longer than other animals/humans to arrive. These elephants were rescued from shows and trekking tours, where they were not kept and treated in a species-appropriate manner. Here, they can now enjoy life, being fed by humans, playing in the mud with them, bathing, and finally being scrubbed clean. That was the program for today, in that exact order.

I chose this organization personally because they do not allow elephant riding and they do not lock them up all day.

On the premises, each elephant has its own enclosure, which is 10x10m in size (following European guidelines), with a roof. However, they only stay there at night; during the day, they roam freely.

The organization aims to save as many elephants as possible, as they are considered sacred in this country, a fact often overlooked by tourists.

For those who want to learn more, here is the link:

www.green-elephantsanctuarypark.com