Our Elephants
At Bukit Elephant Park, we have rescued 6 elephants here. Let’s get to know them.
Num Gaew
Num Gaew originated from Surin province in the eastern part of Thailand. It is the province where most of the elephants around Thailand came from. Like other elephants, Num Gaew used to work in a logging camp by dragging huge timbers, but eventually relocated to Phuket. She was re-trained to give rides to tourists. By working hard, her front left leg developed a severe infected wound. We heard Num Gaew’s condition through our monthly elephants’ veterinarians and were extremely concerned. Finally, we decided to contact her former owner, who was already considering trying to find a new elephant to replace her, and brought her to our sanctuary. Though we learned her wound will not be fully cured, we are trying to keep it in the best condition. She is being cared for and her wound is being treated daily to keep the infection from spreading out. Num Gaew and Fah Sai are very close as if they have a mother-daughter bond. They love to bathe and relax themselves in our pond together.
Malee
Due to the pandemic many safari tours were closed down, that was when we first met Malee. We learned that this 50 years old spent her past life as a logging elephant and eventually became a riding elephant at a tourist spot. However, because of covid-19 situation, the tourist spot began to fall apart. Malee’s previous owner cannot bear their financial burden, so they decided to sell all the elephants they own. Before coming to our sanctuary Malee was kept in a confined space with very little food, and chined most of the time. When she finally relocated to our sanctuary, we hoped she would soon bond with the others; however, she preferred to be left alone. It is common for the elephants who have a tough past life to need time in order to adjust themself to the new environment they are exposed to. Time will heal them physically and mentally, but now we decided to respect her and let her free spirit run free.