SEF founder Lek Chailert said the number of older and infirm elephants still working at Phuket’s tourism related attractions was high and this made a retirement home for them an absolute necessity. She said she had visited all the elephant-riding and trekking centres on Phuket and had been shocked by the sight of elephants that were injured, blind or too infirm to be sent to pastures anew.
The 28-acre site for the pachyderm retirement camp has been gifted to SEF by former adventure park proprietor Montree Todtan. Elephant Nature Park Phuket will collaborate on the project. This organisation released a report detailing the lives of elephants employed to serve Phuket’s tourists.
The study explained that there are currently more than 200 elephants working at Phuket’s 26 elephant trekking centres. It noted that just about every Phuket tourist visited an elephant centre and one animal could give 30 or more rides in a single day.
The park’s founders both say the retirement home will embrace alternative elephant tourism and visitors will be able to see the beasts at play and wandering freely in their natural habitat. Phuket’s elephants and other eclectic draws are within easy reach when you choose 12GO ASIA as your transport ticket provider.
Phuket to set up elephant retirement camp
News in Asia
Phuket’s Save Elephant Foundation has announced the forthcoming inauguration of a retirement camp for elephants. The soft opening for the Elephant Nature Park has been tentatively scheduled for this coming August at a site close to the wildlife sanctuary at Khao Phra Thaew.