# Elephant Nature Park

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Sanctuary in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Elephant Nature Park Interactive map of Elephant Nature Park 19°12′54″N 98°51′38″E / 19.21500°N 98.86056°E / 19.21500; 98.86056 Date opened 1998 Location Chiang Mai, Thailand Land area 250 acres (100 ha)[1] Website elephantnaturepark.org

Navaan, born at the park in October 2012, with founder Lek Chailert.

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](/source/Mae_Taeng_District), Chiang Mai province, northern Thailand, approximately 60 kilometres (37 mi) from [Chiang Mai city](/source/Chiang_Mai), co-founded by [Sangduen "Lek" Chailert](/source/Sangduen_Chailert).[1][2] In 2013, Erawan Elephant Retirement Park opened in western Thailand as an offshoot. By 2016, there were branch parks in [Surin](/source/Surin_province) and in [Cambodia](/source/Cambodia), and there were plans to open a fifth park in [Phuket](/source/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](/source/Water_buffalo), reflecting its broader mission of compassionate wildlife protection.[3][4]

## History

This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (October 2024)

Lek Chailert started working on elephant conservation in 1996.[5] [Teak](/source/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.[6] Elephants are also left maimed after poachers take their ivory.[7]

In the late 1990s, the government of Thailand was working to promote [ecotourism](/source/Ecotourism) in [Chiang Mai Province](/source/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.[8]

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](/source/Chiang_Mai) city,[8] together with Chailert, who owned some of the land and leased the rest from the Thai government.[9] 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.[6] Chailert maintained a more isolated section on one of the surrounding mountains for especially damaged animals that she called "Elephant Heaven".[6] At the time, the park had 34 rescued elephants.[6] Chailert's goal was to eventually end the performances and run it purely as a reserve.[6]

By 2002, Chailert was well known for campaigning against [elephant crushing](/source/Elephant_crushing),[10] and around that time, a documentary about the treatment of elephants in Thailand, which featured Chailert's work, was released. In response, [PETA](/source/PETA) called for a boycott of the country until conditions there changed.[11]

Chailert was listed in a special 2005 post-[tsunami](/source/2004_Indian_Ocean_earthquake_and_tsunami) issue of the Asian edition of *[Time](/source/Time_(magazine))* magazine as one of "Asia's heroes".[12] 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.[11]

By 2005, 17 of the elephants Chailert had rescued were adults, and she had also opened a travel agency in Chiang Mai.[9] 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.[11]

In 2010, the park housed 33 elephants, and visitors could stay for up to a month, paying $400/week.[13]

In 2011, Elephant Nature Park received support from [Elephant Aid International](/source/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.[14]

In 2013, Erawan Elephant Retirement Park opened in western Thailand on 50 hectares of land beside the [River Kwai](/source/Khwae_Yai_River), an hour from [Kanchanaburi](/source/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.[15] In 2014, there were 37 elephants at Elephant Nature Park.[15]

As of 2016, Chailert had rescued a total of 200 distressed elephants,[5] and there were branch elephant parks in Surin and in Cambodia, as well as plans to open a fifth park in [Phuket](/source/Phuket).[16] That work is coordinated by the Save Elephant Foundation, run by the same people.[17] 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.[18]

In addition to elephants, Elephant Nature Park houses dogs[19] as well as cats, birds, and water buffaloes[20][21]

### 2024 floods

In September 2024, parts of East and Southeast Asia were hit by [Typhoon Yagi](/source/Typhoon_Yagi). The [tropical cyclone](/source/Tropical_cyclone) caused numerous deaths[22] and significant destruction in Chiang Mai Province.[23] Floodwaters reached Elephant Nature Park and forced the evacuation of residents and animals.[24] On 8 October, two elephants were reported to have died.[25]

## Recognition for Chailert

For her work, Chailert has received a number of awards, such as the [Ford Foundation](/source/Ford_Foundation)'s Hero of the Planet (2001),[26] *[Time](/source/Time_(magazine))* magazine's Heroes of Asia (2005),[26] a Women Heroes of Global Conservation (2010),[26][27] and the Responsible Thailand Award for Animal Welfare (2018).[28]

## Gallery

		- Feeding an elephant in a tailor-made shelter

		- Feeding an elephant in the open

		- [Mahout](/source/Mahout) feeding an elephant

		- Mahout with young elephant

		- Elephant Nature Park, April 2024

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Cunningham_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Cunningham_1-1) Cunningham, Lillian (11 November 2013). ["At one with the elephants at a Thailand sanctuary"](http://www.theoaklandpress.com/article/op/20131111/NEWS/131119837) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160808073911/http://www.theoaklandpress.com/article/op/20131111/NEWS/131119837) 8 August 2016 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine). *[The Oakland Press](/source/The_Oakland_Press)*. via The Washington Post.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Kane_2-0)** Kane, John. ["Day Nine – Elephant Nature Park"](http://thai-di-ary.blogspot.com/2013/01/day-nine-elephant-nature-park.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20161011073001/http://thai-di-ary.blogspot.com/2013/01/day-nine-elephant-nature-park.html) 11 October 2016 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine). *Thai-Di-ary*. 26 January 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Greenfield, Patrick (8 August 2025). ["The elephant whisperer: one Thai woman's lifelong quest to protect a rescued herd"](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/aug/08/animal-welfare-asian-elephants-thailand-conservation-aoe). *The Guardian*. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0261-3077](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0261-3077). Retrieved 4 January 2026.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["About us – Elephant Nature Park"](http://web.archive.org/web/20251110174025/https://www.elephantnaturepark.org/about-us/). *elephantnaturepark.org*. Archived from [the original](https://www.elephantnaturepark.org/about-us/) on 10 November 2025. Retrieved 4 January 2026.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-CBS_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-CBS_5-1) Garcia, Luisa. ["Meet Thailand's elephant whisperer"](http://www.cbsnews.com/news/meet-sangduen-lek-chailert-thailands-elephant-whisperer/). *CBS News*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160610112249/http://www.cbsnews.com/news/meet-sangduen-lek-chailert-thailands-elephant-whisperer/) from the original on 10 June 2016. Retrieved 10 June 2016.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-SH1998_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-SH1998_6-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-SH1998_6-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-SH1998_6-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-SH1998_6-4) Michael Gebicki for The Sun-Herald (Sydney, Australia). (29 November 1998). Elephant lady's jumbo job

1. **[^](#cite_ref-NG2002_7-0)** Hile, Jennifer (17 October 2002). ["Reporter's Notebook: Elephants Heal at Thai "Heaven""](https://web.archive.org/web/20021021033809/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/10/1017_021017_elephantheaven.html). *National Geographic*. Archived from [the original](http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/10/1017_021017_elephantheaven.html) on 21 October 2002. Retrieved 6 February 2006.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-InterPress1998_8-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-InterPress1998_8-1) Inter Press Service 9 November 1998. [Development Thailand: Locals Say Ecotourism is Destruction](http://www.ipsnews.net/1998/11/development-thailand-locals-say-ecotourism-is-destruction/) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160808182535/http://www.ipsnews.net/1998/11/development-thailand-locals-say-ecotourism-is-destruction/) 8 August 2016 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-NG2005_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-NG2005_9-1) Douglas H. Chadwick for National Geographic. 1 October 2005. [Thailand's urban Giants](https://web.archive.org/web/20080630224733/http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0510/feature5/)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Jennifer Hile for National Geographic Today 16 October 2002 [Activists Denounce Thailand's Elephant "Crushing" Ritual](https://web.archive.org/web/20021018085547/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/10/1016_021016_phajaan.html)

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-King2005_11-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-King2005_11-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-King2005_11-2) King, Robert. [The Elephant Whisperer](http://www.theecologist.org/investigations/natural_world/269732/the_elephant_whisperer.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160821053457/http://www.theecologist.org/investigations/natural_world/269732/the_elephant_whisperer.html) 21 August 2016 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine). *[The Ecologist](/source/The_Ecologist)* 35.9 (Nov/Dec 2005): 48–54.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Zabriskie, Phil (3 October 2005). ["Asia's Heroes 2005, Sangduen 'Lek' Chailert Thailand's Elephant Woman"](https://web.archive.org/web/20051211001424/http://www.time.com/time/asia/2005/heroes/sangduen_chailert.html). *[Time](/source/Time_(magazine))*. Archived from [the original](http://www.time.com/time/asia/2005/heroes/sangduen_chailert.html) on 11 December 2005. Retrieved 6 February 2006.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** Lancaster, Danielle (25 April 2010). "Elephant walk Thailand Jumbo-sized adventure". *[Sunday Herald Sun](/source/Sunday_Herald_Sun)*. (Melbourne, Australia).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** Carol Buckley, Elephant Aid International. 1 May 2011 [Letter to Elephant Nature Park](http://www.elephantaidinternational.org/pdf/ENP_Report2011.pdf) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20140207022453/http://www.elephantaidinternational.org/pdf/ENP_Report2011.pdf) 7 February 2014 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-HS2014_15-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-HS2014_15-1) Margie Maccoll for the Herald Sun (Melbourne). 25 September 2014 [Volunteer at the Erawan Elephant Retirement Park is Southwestern Thailand](http://www.heraldsun.com.au/travel/volunteer-at-the-erawan-elephant-retirement-park-is-southwestern-thailand/news-story/73ec8a691a5a3df29d7918b8f34de7ee) [Archived](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) 1 June 2016 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** Jacobo, Julia (24 May 2016). ["Elephant in Thailand Falls Asleep 'Every Time' Caretaker Sings Her a Lullaby"](https://abcnews.go.com/International/elephant-thailand-falls-asleep-time-caretaker-sings-lullaby/story?id=39341230) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20201108090055/https://abcnews.go.com/International/elephant-thailand-falls-asleep-time-caretaker-sings-lullaby/story?id=39341230) 8 November 2020 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine). [ABC News](/source/ABC_News_(United_States)).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** ["Save Elephant Foundation"](http://www.saveelephant.org/). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160610183222/http://www.saveelephant.org/) from the original on 10 June 2016. Retrieved 15 June 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** ["Visit & Volunteer – Elephant Nature Park Booking System"](https://www.elephantnaturepark.org/enp/visit-volunteer). *elephantnaturepark.org*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190209180217/https://www.elephantnaturepark.org/enp/visit-volunteer) from the original on 9 February 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2019.[*[better source needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability#Questionable_sources)*]

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** ["Home – Dog Project – Elephant Nature Park"](https://www.saveelephant.org/dogproject/). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190209161533/https://www.saveelephant.org/dogproject/) from the original on 9 February 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-20)** Flinn, Adam (1 April 2014). ["Sharing Space at Elephant Nature Park"](https://www.elephantnaturepark.org/buff/). *Elephant Nature Park*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200727001921/https://www.elephantnaturepark.org/buff/) from the original on 27 July 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-21)** Springer, Kate (21 November 2017). ["The sanctuary saving Thailand's disappearing elephants"](https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/elephant-nature-park-chiang-mai/index.html). *CNN Travel*. Video by Amanda Sealy and Beau Molloy. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190209124558/https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/elephant-nature-park-chiang-mai/index.html) from the original on 9 February 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-22)** ["Pp̣h.S̄rup s̄t̄hānkārṇ̒ n̂ả th̀wm 27 cạngh̄wạd s̄eīy chīwit 31 rāy f̄êā rawạng n̂ả cêāphrayā" ปภ.สรุปสถานการณ์น้ำท่วม 27 จังหวัด เสียชีวิต 31 ราย เฝ้าระวังน้ำเจ้าพระยา](https://www.thansettakij.com/news/general-news/606400). *Thansettakij* (in Thai). 11 September 2024. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20240911204659/https://www.thansettakij.com/news/general-news/606400) from the original on 11 September 2024. Retrieved 11 September 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-23)** ["Xạpdet n̂ả th̀wm 'cheīyngrāy' 5 xảp̣hex cm bādāl-s̄eīy chīwit 3 cĕb 2" อัปเดตน้ำท่วม 'เชียงราย' 5 อำเภอจมบาดาล-เสียชีวิต 3 เจ็บ 2](https://today.line.me/th/v2/article/j7LWwlg). *today.line.me* (in Thai). 11 September 2024. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20240915154029/https://today.line.me/th/v2/article/j7LWwlg) from the original on 15 September 2024. Retrieved 11 September 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-24)** ["Flooding in northern Thailand prompts mass evacuation of residents and animals"](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). *abcnews4.com*. 4 October 2024. Retrieved 11 October 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-25)** ["Two elephants die in flooding at sanctuary in northern Thailand"](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). *uk.news.yahoo.com*. 8 October 2024. Retrieved 11 October 2024.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Our_Founder_26-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Our_Founder_26-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Our_Founder_26-2) ["Our Founder"](https://www.saveelephant.org/about/founder-sangduen-lek-chailert/). *Save Elephant Foundation*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190209124441/https://www.saveelephant.org/about/founder-sangduen-lek-chailert/) from the original on 9 February 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-27)** ["Elephants Are Tortured and Trafficked to Entertain Tourists in Thailand"](https://time.com/2965190/burma-myanmar-thailand-elephants-trafficked-tortured-tourism/). *Time*. 8 July 2014. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190210232436/http://time.com/2965190/burma-myanmar-thailand-elephants-trafficked-tortured-tourism/) from the original on 10 February 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-28)** ["Ms. Lek Chailert, Elephant Nature Park (Chiang Mai), winner of Responsible Thailand Awards 2018, Animal Welfare category"](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/). *TAT Newsroom*. [Archived](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/) from the original on 9 February 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2019.

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Elephant Nature Park](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Elephant_Nature_Park).

- [Official website](http://elephantnaturepark.org)

- [Segments from *Vanishing Giants*, documentary film by Jennifer Hile](http://jenniferhile.com/documentaries/vanishing-giants-national-geographic), via [National Geographic](/source/National_Geographic_Society), October 2005

v t e Zoos of Thailand Zoos Chiang Mai Night Safari Chiang Mai Zoo Elephant Nature Park Khao Kheow Open Zoo Lopburi Zoo Million Years Stone Park and Pattaya Crocodile Farm Nakhon Ratchasima Zoo Pata Zoo Safari Park Kanchanaburi Safari World Samphran Elephant Ground & Zoo Songkhla Zoo Samutprakarn Crocodile Farm and Zoo (revamped 2024) Phuket Zoo (closed until 2025) Aquariums Aquaria Phuket Bangkok Aquarium Bueng Chawak Aquarium The Institute of Marine Science, Burapha University Phuket Aquarium Rayong Aquarium Sea Life Bangkok Ocean World Underwater World Pattaya Chiang Mai Zoo Aquarium Defunct zoos Dusit Zoo (closed 2018) Sriracha Tigerzoo Chonburi (closed 2021) Animals portal

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Elephant Nature Park](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephant_Nature_Park) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephant_Nature_Park?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.