There is a place in Thailand where abused elephants find refuge and comfort. This is the Elephant Nature Park , created to right the wrongs that are often inflicted on these animals, which has always been a symbol of the country and is now in danger of extinction. Lek Chailert , multi- award-winning champion of the Asian elephant and founder of the Save Elephant Foundation

, is the founder of what can rightfully be called a real sanctuary for local fauna .

A sanctuary for animals in distress

Elephant Nature Park is a home project in the Chiang Mai province of northern Thailand . Founded in the 1990s, its purpose is to provide a sanctuary and rescue center for elephants . Over 100,000 in the country alone, there are now 3,000-4,000 large pachyderms, out of a global population that has been estimated at 30,000.

The park is located about 60km from the city and, over the years, has provided a refuge for dozens of distressed elephants from across the nation. Next to them, other abused animals live: from cats to buffaloes, from dogs to other needy specimens, without distinction of race.

Elephant Nature Park, the mission

The Elephant Nature Park has its objectives very clear , which it declines into five different points – corresponding to as many declarations of intent or areas of action – within its mission .

• Sanctuary for endangered species : the project provides a refuge for animals, contributing to their well-being and development.
• Rainforest Restoration : Alongside the park, a tree planting program is being developed in the surrounding area, which aims to restore the ecological balance of plants and animals, reintroducing typical rainforest flora. 
• Cultural conservation : aims to preserve the cultural integrity of the local community by creating employment and purchasing agricultural products locally. Park managers are recruited from within the community to oversee the park’s progress.
• Visitor education : A key part of the initiative is the education of visitors, individuals, study groups and schools, with particular emphasis on the plight of local endangered species. Small conferences and workshops are planned in the park.
• Independent action : the park is committed to maintaining its independence from pressure groups and political movements opposed to the welfare of the animals housed.

Lek Chailert, the woman who whispers to elephants

Lek Chailert learned to love elephants alongside his grandfather , a shaman who, in a small town north of Chang Mai, healed the people of his community and cared for injured animals. 

Realizing over the years of the abuse and mistreatment to which elephants were often subjected, in spite of an evident scarcity of economic resources, he was able to find the necessary contacts to found the Elephant Nature Park . The park, as well as the Save Elephant Foundation established a few years later, work tirelessly to protect the Asian elephant from impending doom.

Thanks to a mix of constant commitment and determination, Lek Chailert’s voice is now internationally recognized. In addition to severaldocumentaries produced by National Geographic, Discovery, Animal Planet and the BBC, the activist has been honored with numerous awards, degrees and honorary doctorates . Tributes that do not prevent her from continuing – within the park, in Thailand or around the world – her mission as champion of elephants.