At peace with the gentle giants of Koh Lanta

By The Nation

 

 

Built with the support of the wildlife protection organisation World Animal Protection, the jungle-covered “Following Giants” attraction on Koh Lanta confirms how Thailand’s elephants thrive in completely natural surroundings and why such habitats must be better preserved.

 

 

It’s an environment where the elephants can go about their lives just being elephants – no rides for humans or painting pictures with a brush in their trunks, no bizarre balancing acts or circus tricks. 

 

There are many human visitors, of course, but they’re walking in the elephants’ footsteps and never disturbing them, merely forging passive connections and getting to understand them better.

 

 

 

Visitors have a variety of activities to choose among, involving not just watching the elephants – notably bird’s-eye views from a tree-house – but also helping replenish their natural food sources.

 

It’s fun and fulfilling to make and distribute through the forest “seed bombs”, of which the elephants with their massive appetite need a constant supply. 

 

 

Following Giants has three resident elephants, named Sow, Jahn and Chok, who appear as content as any you might encounter in the wild. That’s something of a miracle in itself, because all three led punishing lives previously, toiling in logging camps or constantly carrying around tourists. Now they’re free to live the unfettered lives to which they were born.

 

 

World Animal Protection seeks to provide a happier and more beneficial life for animals and also show communities how they can exchange traditional business practices for kinder, nobler endeavours that still attract tourists and ample income.

 

 

A visit to Following Giants is a show of support for the remarkable tusked creatures that call Thailand home, and it encourages more communities like those on Koh Lanta to embrace more eco-friendly approaches to tourism.

 

 

Visits can be arranged by contacting the owner, Charae Sangkaow, at [email protected] or (084) 744 7060.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/travel/30383020?utm_source=homepage&utm_medium=internal_referral

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-03-01

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Very well done. We will all be judged by the way in which we treat animals. I'm sorry to say that all over the world that treatment is mostly cruel and disgusting.

Change is always good and one can profit, while at the same time not interfere with the natural habitat of such creatures.

 

Might check it out with the kids when and if my chipping away at the wife gets her to settle down with this Coronavirus issue, paranoia lurkes.

23 hours ago, rooster59 said:

World Animal Protection seeks to provide a happier and more beneficial life for animals and also show communities how they can exchange traditional business practices for kinder, nobler endeavours that still attract tourists and ample income.

Something many "elephant parks" boast but don't deliver.

I hate watching elephants paint portraits, play football or do other crazy stuff in the name of entertainment for tourists, while the owners say it keeps the elephants happy.

This post shows where the elephant is happiest.... in it's natural environment and left alone.

The best news lateley is the virus. It might just save the lives of a few endangered animals whilst the chinese are locked down and can't get there dose of pangolin, rhino horn and ivory.

 

This park looks like the way it should be for animals. Soon it might be the only way any animals survive.