{{Short description|Sanctuary in Chiang Mai, Thailand}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2026}} {{Infobox zoo | zoo_name = Elephant Nature Park | logo = Elephant Nature Park Logo.jpg | logo_width = | date_opened = 1998 | location = [[Chiang Mai Province|Chiang Mai]], Thailand | area = {{Convert|250|acres|abbr=on}}<ref name=Cunningham>Cunningham, Lillian (11 November 2013). [http://www.theoaklandpress.com/article/op/20131111/NEWS/131119837 "At one with the elephants at a Thailand sanctuary"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160808073911/http://www.theoaklandpress.com/article/op/20131111/NEWS/131119837 |date=8 August 2016 }}. ''[[The Oakland Press]]''. via The Washington Post.</ref> | coordinates = {{Coord|19|12|54|N|98|51|38|E|type:landmark_region:TH|display=title,inline}} | num_animals = | num_species = | annual_visitors = | members = | website = {{URL|elephantnaturepark.org}} }} [[File:Navann was born at the park Oct 2012.jpg|thumb|Navaan, born at the park in October 2012, with founder Lek Chailert.]] [[File:Female elephant with baby Elephant Nature Park.JPG|thumb|Female elephant (Dok Ngern, 15 years, with newly born Dok Mai) (23 days).]]
'''Elephant Nature Park''' is a sanctuary and rescue centre for elephants in [[Mae Taeng District]], Chiang Mai province, northern Thailand, approximately {{Convert|60|km}} from [[Chiang Mai|Chiang Mai city]], co-founded by [[Sangduen Chailert|Sangduen "Lek" Chailert]].<ref name=Cunningham/><ref name=Kane>Kane, John. [http://thai-di-ary.blogspot.com/2013/01/day-nine-elephant-nature-park.html "Day Nine – Elephant Nature Park"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161011073001/http://thai-di-ary.blogspot.com/2013/01/day-nine-elephant-nature-park.html |date=11 October 2016 }}. ''Thai-Di-ary ''. 26 January 2013.</ref> In 2013, Erawan Elephant Retirement Park opened in western Thailand as an offshoot. By 2016, there were branch parks in [[Surin province|Surin]] and in [[Cambodia]], and there were plans to open a fifth park in [[Phuket]]. By then, the work was coordinated by the Save Elephant Foundation.
The parks provide sanctuary for rescued elephants and operate under a business model in which tourists pay to visit and help care for the animals, and they can stay for extended periods. In addition to its elephant rescue work, the sanctuary has expanded its focus to include rehabilitation and care for other rescued animals such as dogs and [[water buffalo]], reflecting its broader mission of compassionate wildlife protection.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Greenfield |first=Patrick |date=8 August 2025 |title=The elephant whisperer: one Thai woman's lifelong quest to protect a rescued herd |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/aug/08/animal-welfare-asian-elephants-thailand-conservation-aoe |access-date=4 January 2026 |work=The Guardian |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=About us – Elephant Nature Park |url=https://www.elephantnaturepark.org/about-us/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251110174025/https://www.elephantnaturepark.org/about-us/ |archive-date=10 November 2025 |access-date=4 January 2026 |website=elephantnaturepark.org}}</ref>
==History== {{Update|section|date=October 2024}}
Lek Chailert started working on elephant conservation in 1996.<ref name=CBS/> [[Teak]] logging, in which many elephants were used, had been banned in Thailand in 1989, and those elephants had been abandoned or sold for use in the tourist industry or for begging in cities.<ref name=SH1998/> Elephants are also left maimed after poachers take their ivory.<ref name=NG2002>{{cite news | first=Jennifer| last=Hile | title=Reporter's Notebook: Elephants Heal at Thai "Heaven"| url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/10/1017_021017_elephantheaven.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021021033809/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/10/1017_021017_elephantheaven.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=21 October 2002 | work=National Geographic | date=17 October 2002 | access-date=6 February 2006 }}</ref>
In the late 1990s, the government of Thailand was working to promote [[ecotourism]] in [[Chiang Mai Province]]. Tourism brought in 350 million dollars in 1997 and was the province's biggest source of revenue; the plans were controversial with the province's indigenous people however.<ref name=InterPress1998/>
By 1998, an organization called Green Tours, run by Adam Flinn, had founded Elephant Nature Park, a tourist site and reserve for rescued elephants in a valley about an hour north of [[Chiang Mai]] city,<ref name=InterPress1998>Inter Press Service 9 November 1998. [http://www.ipsnews.net/1998/11/development-thailand-locals-say-ecotourism-is-destruction/ Development Thailand: Locals Say Ecotourism is Destruction] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160808182535/http://www.ipsnews.net/1998/11/development-thailand-locals-say-ecotourism-is-destruction/ |date=8 August 2016 }}</ref> together with Chailert, who owned some of the land and leased the rest from the Thai government.<ref name=NG2005/> At that time, the park featured a daily show where elephants performed tricks like balancing on one leg and playing football, and included elephant rides.<ref name=SH1998>Michael Gebicki for The Sun-Herald (Sydney, Australia). (29 November 1998). Elephant lady's jumbo job</ref> Chailert maintained a more isolated section on one of the surrounding mountains for especially damaged animals that she called "Elephant Heaven".<ref name=SH1998/> At the time, the park had 34 rescued elephants.<ref name=SH1998/> Chailert's goal was to eventually end the performances and run it purely as a reserve.<ref name=SH1998/>
By 2002, Chailert was well known for campaigning against [[elephant crushing]],<ref>Jennifer Hile for National Geographic Today 16 October 2002 [https://web.archive.org/web/20021018085547/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/10/1016_021016_phajaan.html Activists Denounce Thailand's Elephant "Crushing" Ritual]</ref> and around that time, a documentary about the treatment of elephants in Thailand, which featured Chailert's work, was released. In response, [[PETA]] called for a boycott of the country until conditions there changed.<ref name=King2005>King, Robert. [http://www.theecologist.org/investigations/natural_world/269732/the_elephant_whisperer.html The Elephant Whisperer] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160821053457/http://www.theecologist.org/investigations/natural_world/269732/the_elephant_whisperer.html |date=21 August 2016 }}. ''[[The Ecologist]]'' 35.9 (Nov/Dec 2005): 48–54.</ref>
Chailert was listed in a special 2005 post-[[2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami|tsunami]] issue of the Asian edition of ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine as one of "Asia's heroes".<ref>{{cite magazine |first=Phil|last=Zabriskie |title=Asia's Heroes 2005, Sangduen 'Lek' Chailert Thailand's Elephant Woman |url=http://www.time.com/time/asia/2005/heroes/sangduen_chailert.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051211001424/http://www.time.com/time/asia/2005/heroes/sangduen_chailert.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 December 2005|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|date=3 October 2005 |access-date=6 February 2006}}</ref> However, the boycott campaign had made her an embarrassment to the Thai government and had led to death threats and to Friends of the Asian Elephant, a government-funded organization that had done work to improve conditions for elephants, ending its funding of her work.<ref name=King2005/>
By 2005, 17 of the elephants Chailert had rescued were adults, and she had also opened a travel agency in Chiang Mai.<ref name=NG2005>Douglas H. Chadwick for National Geographic. 1 October 2005. [https://web.archive.org/web/20080630224733/http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0510/feature5/ Thailand's urban Giants]</ref> By this time, the park no longer offered performances and had shifted to a business model in which visitors could come help care for the elephants.<ref name=King2005/>
In 2010, the park housed 33 elephants, and visitors could stay for up to a month, paying $400/week.<ref>Lancaster, Danielle (25 April 2010). "Elephant walk Thailand Jumbo-sized adventure". ''[[Sunday Herald Sun]]''. (Melbourne, Australia).</ref>
In 2011, Elephant Nature Park received support from [[Elephant Aid International]] for mahout training as well as alleviating foot disease and stress levels among elephants and improving their diet, sanitation, and opportunities for exercise.<ref>Carol Buckley, Elephant Aid International. 1 May 2011 [http://www.elephantaidinternational.org/pdf/ENP_Report2011.pdf Letter to Elephant Nature Park] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140207022453/http://www.elephantaidinternational.org/pdf/ENP_Report2011.pdf |date=7 February 2014 }}</ref>
In 2013, Erawan Elephant Retirement Park opened in western Thailand on 50 hectares of land beside the [[Khwae Yai River|River Kwai]], an hour from [[Kanchanaburi]], as an extension of the original park and using the same business model. It started out with five elephants, one of which died in the first year.<ref name=HS2014>Margie Maccoll for the Herald Sun (Melbourne). 25 September 2014 [http://www.heraldsun.com.au/travel/volunteer-at-the-erawan-elephant-retirement-park-is-southwestern-thailand/news-story/73ec8a691a5a3df29d7918b8f34de7ee Volunteer at the Erawan Elephant Retirement Park is Southwestern Thailand] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160601140241/http://www.heraldsun.com.au/travel/volunteer-at-the-erawan-elephant-retirement-park-is-southwestern-thailand/news-story/73ec8a691a5a3df29d7918b8f34de7ee |date=1 June 2016 }}</ref> In 2014, there were 37 elephants at Elephant Nature Park.<ref name=HS2014/>
As of 2016, Chailert had rescued a total of 200 distressed elephants,<ref name=CBS>{{cite news|last1=Garcia|first1=Luisa|title=Meet Thailand's elephant whisperer|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/meet-sangduen-lek-chailert-thailands-elephant-whisperer/|access-date=10 June 2016|work=CBS News|archive-date=10 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160610112249/http://www.cbsnews.com/news/meet-sangduen-lek-chailert-thailands-elephant-whisperer/|url-status=live}}</ref> and there were branch elephant parks in Surin and in Cambodia, as well as plans to open a fifth park in [[Phuket]].<ref>Jacobo, Julia (24 May 2016). [https://abcnews.go.com/International/elephant-thailand-falls-asleep-time-caretaker-sings-lullaby/story?id=39341230 "Elephant in Thailand Falls Asleep 'Every Time' Caretaker Sings Her a Lullaby"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108090055/https://abcnews.go.com/International/elephant-thailand-falls-asleep-time-caretaker-sings-lullaby/story?id=39341230 |date=8 November 2020 }}. [[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]].</ref> That work is coordinated by the Save Elephant Foundation, run by the same people.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.saveelephant.org/ |title=Save Elephant Foundation |access-date=15 June 2016 |archive-date=10 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160610183222/http://www.saveelephant.org/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Chailert has also been successful in convincing several independent camps to improve the lives of elephants and forbid tourists from riding them, through her Saddle Off! outreach program.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.elephantnaturepark.org/enp/visit-volunteer|title=Visit & Volunteer – Elephant Nature Park Booking System|website=elephantnaturepark.org|access-date=6 February 2019|archive-date=9 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190209180217/https://www.elephantnaturepark.org/enp/visit-volunteer|url-status=live}}{{Better source needed|reason=This link takes the reader to the booking page on the organization's website, so the referenced content may be difficult to locate, besides being from a primary source.|date=October 2024}}</ref>
In addition to elephants, Elephant Nature Park houses dogs<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.saveelephant.org/dogproject/|title=Home – Dog Project – Elephant Nature Park|access-date=6 February 2019|archive-date=9 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190209161533/https://www.saveelephant.org/dogproject/|url-status=live}}</ref> as well as cats, birds, and water buffaloes<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.elephantnaturepark.org/buff/|title=Sharing Space at Elephant Nature Park|date=1 April 2014|website=Elephant Nature Park|access-date=6 February 2019|archive-date=27 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727001921/https://www.elephantnaturepark.org/buff/|url-status=live |last1=Flinn |first1=Adam }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/elephant-nature-park-chiang-mai/index.html|title=The sanctuary saving Thailand's disappearing elephants|first=Kate|last=Springer|others=Video by Amanda Sealy and Beau Molloy|date=21 November 2017|website=CNN Travel|access-date=6 February 2019|archive-date=9 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190209124558/https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/elephant-nature-park-chiang-mai/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
===2024 floods=== In September 2024, parts of East and Southeast Asia were hit by [[Typhoon Yagi]]. The [[tropical cyclone]] caused numerous deaths<ref>{{cite news|title=Pp̣h.S̄rup s̄t̄hānkārṇ̒ n̂ả th̀wm 27 cạngh̄wạd s̄eīy chīwit 31 rāy f̄êā rawạng n̂ả cêāphrayā|script-title=th:ปภ.สรุปสถานการณ์น้ำท่วม 27 จังหวัด เสียชีวิต 31 ราย เฝ้าระวังน้ำเจ้าพระยา|url=https://www.thansettakij.com/news/general-news/606400|date=11 September 2024|access-date=11 September 2024|language=th|website=Thansettakij|archive-date=11 September 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240911204659/https://www.thansettakij.com/news/general-news/606400|url-status=live}}</ref> and significant destruction in Chiang Mai Province.<ref>{{cite news|title=Xạpdet n̂ả th̀wm 'cheīyngrāy' 5 xảp̣hex cm bādāl-s̄eīy chīwit 3 cĕb 2|script-title=th:อัปเดตน้ำท่วม 'เชียงราย' 5 อำเภอจมบาดาล-เสียชีวิต 3 เจ็บ 2|url=https://today.line.me/th/v2/article/j7LWwlg|date=11 September 2024|access-date=11 September 2024|language=th|website=today.line.me|archive-date=15 September 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240915154029/https://today.line.me/th/v2/article/j7LWwlg|url-status=live}}</ref> Floodwaters reached Elephant Nature Park and forced the evacuation of residents and animals.<ref>{{cite web|title=Flooding in northern Thailand prompts mass evacuation of residents and animals |url=https://www.abcnews4.com/news/nation-world/flooding-in-northern-thailand-prompts-mass-evacuation-of-residents-and-animals-chiang-mai-elephant-nature-park-sanctuary-dogs-cats-rabbits-cows-heavy-rainfall-monsoon-typhoon-yagi |website=abcnews4.com |date=4 October 2024 |access-date=11 October 2024}}</ref> On 8 October, two elephants were reported to have died.<ref>{{cite web|title=Two elephants die in flooding at sanctuary in northern Thailand |url=https://uk.news.yahoo.com/two-elephants-die-flooding-sanctuary-024255690.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAJKYjlYkyHYX_u4c22-YH_o0LW-wfuN0_uQt3a9vJuHBgAIyRWJQDWxe2-LNz2fVXfUjEchKxwHTz6SpwAJfgU-MZV5d1VIwMcU2zklOFhuIfN--J7pqmOA8Ty2G6yPVjGMiJYzjLluFBuw7Rt6Av5i63nr41wTRVIhbuzLL33eg |website=uk.news.yahoo.com |date=8 October 2024 |access-date=11 October 2024}}</ref>
==Recognition for Chailert== For her work, Chailert has received a number of awards, such as the [[Ford Foundation]]'s Hero of the Planet (2001),<ref name="Our Founder">{{Cite web|url=https://www.saveelephant.org/about/founder-sangduen-lek-chailert/|title=Our Founder|website=Save Elephant Foundation|access-date=6 February 2019|archive-date=9 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190209124441/https://www.saveelephant.org/about/founder-sangduen-lek-chailert/|url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine's Heroes of Asia (2005),<ref name="Our Founder"/> a Women Heroes of Global Conservation (2010),<ref name="Our Founder"/><ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://time.com/2965190/burma-myanmar-thailand-elephants-trafficked-tortured-tourism/|title=Elephants Are Tortured and Trafficked to Entertain Tourists in Thailand|magazine=Time|date=8 July 2014 |access-date=6 February 2019|archive-date=10 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190210232436/http://time.com/2965190/burma-myanmar-thailand-elephants-trafficked-tortured-tourism/|url-status=live}}</ref> and the Responsible Thailand Award for Animal Welfare (2018).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tatnews.org/2018/11/responsible-thailand-awards-2018-winners-announced-at-the-world-travel-market/ms-lek-chailert-elephant-nature-park-chiang-mai-winner-of-responsible-thailand-awards-2018-animal-welfare-category/|title=Ms. Lek Chailert, Elephant Nature Park (Chiang Mai), winner of Responsible Thailand Awards 2018, Animal Welfare category|website=TAT Newsroom|access-date=6 February 2019|archive-date=9 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190209180245/https://www.tatnews.org/2018/11/responsible-thailand-awards-2018-winners-announced-at-the-world-travel-market/ms-lek-chailert-elephant-nature-park-chiang-mai-winner-of-responsible-thailand-awards-2018-animal-welfare-category/|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Gallery== <gallery mode="packed"> Feeding elephants Elephant Nature Park.jpg|Feeding an elephant in a tailor-made shelter Feeding elephant at Elephant Nature Park.JPG|Feeding an elephant in the open Mahout Elephant Nature Park.JPG|[[Mahout]] feeding an elephant Mahout with young elephant.jpg|Mahout with young elephant DWLRX.jpg|Elephant Nature Park, April 2024 </gallery>
==References== {{Reflist|2}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Elephant Nature Park}} * {{Official website|elephantnaturepark.org}} * [http://jenniferhile.com/documentaries/vanishing-giants-national-geographic Segments from ''Vanishing Giants'', documentary film by Jennifer Hile], via [[National Geographic Society|National Geographic]], October 2005
{{Zoos of Thailand}}
[[Category:Elephant sanctuaries]] [[Category:Animal welfare organizations based in Thailand]] [[Category:Nature conservation in Thailand]] [[Category:Tourist attractions in Thailand]] [[Category:Elephants in Thailand]]