The elephants that you will see in the video below were filmed at Save Elephant Foundation's Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai, Thailand. These elephants as well as all the others residing at Elephant Nature Park are free animals and never have to work. When the elephants at Elephant Nature Park get caught in the rain, their playful and free spirited sides are clearly on display. These gentle giants want to do nothing more with their freedom than to frolic in green grass and roll around in the mud!
Elephants are the largest land mammals on the planet. When full-grown, Thai elephants range in weight from about 7,000 to 12,000 pounds and in height from about 7.5 to 9 feet tall. According to Save The Elephant Foundation's website, there are estimated to be only 30,000 elephants left in the world, and only 3,000-4,000 in Thailand. The global elephant population has dropped drastically in the recent past, as there were an estimated 100,000 elephants in Thailand alone at the beginning of this century. While the decrease in elephant populations is in part due to hunting, the major factor in their rapid disappearance is the encroachment of human beings on their grazing lands. The average elephant eats anywhere from 330 to 660 pounds of food each day, and without access to proper grazing lands, these giant creatures are quickly running out of the food resources they need to survive.
Elephant Nature Park is a sanctuary and rescue center for elephants located in the Chiang Mai province of Northern Thailand, and it serves as home for dozens of elephants. The sanctuary boasts excellent natural terrain. The elephants roam through a valley bordered by a river and surrounded by lush forests, just about 40 miles away from the city of Chiang Mai. The mission of Elephant Nature Park is not only to provide refuge and care for these large creatures, but to educate the public of their plight as well. Visitors to the center are taught about the dwindling number of elephants in the world and informed of ways to help lessen the threat to this endangered species.
We at SF Globe loved seeing these happy elephants, but we were even more thrilled to learn about the endeavors of Elephant Nature Park and its commitment to saving these beautiful creatures. Did you know that elephants were in such danger as a species? Have you ever been in the presence of one of these incredible animals? Let us know in the comments below!
Share
Tweet