Description of the attraction
The Natural Elephant Park is an 800 hectare area in Chiang Mai province where sick and injured animals are taken care of. It is a rescue center for all elephants in Thailand, founded in 1990. The park is located in a valley with a river flowing through it, surrounded by dense forests.
The park's founder, Sangduen Lek Chilelert, was born into a hill tribe in northern Thailand, his grandfather was a jungle man and taught his grandson how to communicate with wild elephants.
The elephant nature park is home to not only injured animals, but also those who, due to their age, cannot work in logging or in the tourism sector. All of them receive qualified medical assistance and care. Most of the park's staff are local and foreign volunteers.
The Elephant Nature Park has received worldwide recognition. The Times magazine named him “Asian Hero of the Year” in 2005. The park is mentioned in such important publications as National Geographic, as well as in the films Animal Planet, BBC, National Geographic and CNN. He received many awards, including from the Smithsonian Institution. In 2010, Mr. Lek, the park's founder, met with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at the White House.
In total, park staff rescued over 37 elephants across the country. It is important that animals are here in their natural habitat, while receiving constant care. The elephant nature park does not focus on the show, as it happens in most cases, but on the rescue of animals.
