The political unrest in Thailand has caused a serious decline in tourism to the Land of Smiles and has effected the economy drastically. And when the economy suffers, the animals suffer. Elephant trekking and elephant shows are big business in northern Thailand and with the decline in tourism many trekking outfits have resorted to laying off elephants and their handlers (Mahouts). Many of these mahouts have taken to the streets in search of handouts to feed themselves and their elephants.
Lek (The Elephant Lady) seized this golden opportunity to launch her new project, "Bring the Elephants Home." In early June, 2010 Lek convinced five mahouts to return home to the small Karen hill tribe village Mae Satop with their elephants and retire them to the 2000 acre jungle surrounding the village. The mahouts are to look out for their well-being. In return for accepting the roles of elephant guardians Lek is providing the village with volunteers to work in the fields, improve plumbing, housing, and medical care for residents and their animals.
The Karen people have a centuries old history caring for elephants that has been all but lost to modern tourism demands and simple economics. Karen villages once teamed with semi-wild elephants but with the rise in international tourism many impoverished villagers made the long journeys to entertainment centers and trekking outfits to gain employment. Lek's new program is to bring them and their elephants home.
Our journey began on June 6th, 2010 in Mae Teng District (the heart of elephant tourism in Thailand) where we met two of the six elephants to be retired to the jungle. We set out on a 200 kilometer trek across some of Thailand's highest peaks with 3 mahouts, 2 elephants, one vet, 8 volunteers, and spent the next six days trudging through forests, through remote villages, across rivers, and over five mountains, in the blistering sun and pouring rain. It was by far one of the most difficult treks I have done. Even the elephants were whipped by day three.
While I often thought we were hopelessly lost in the jungle the elephants seemed to know exactly where they were going, and eager to get there; they were heading home. Often mahouts and their elephants will make similar treks once a year to visit family and friends. But these two (and four others awaiting in Mae Chaem District) were going home for good this time.
Puchi, a 43 years old male with a broken tusk (the result of an old logging accident) was raised with his 43 year old mahout, Dela. They have spent their entire lives together, working in various logging and trekking camps. Dela is a gentle man who seems to have a warm bond with Puchi (unlike most modern trekking mahouts and their elephants). Together they seem overjoyed to be returning home, like two brothers off to see mum.
Mae Chum is younger than Puchi and more naive in elephant context. This is her first trip home in over a decade and she relies on Puchi's keen sense of direction and foraging skills along the way.
By day four we were significantly behind schedule. No one could anticipate the rough terrain and weather we would encounter by taking the elephant trails rather than paved or even unpaved roads; or the frequent breaks to remove leaches. Twice we rocked up at a village at dusk in the pouring rain and asked to be put up for the night and were both times greeted with that small town hospitality that you can't get in Bangkok or Chiang Mai. Warm noodles, a squat toilet, and a dry wooden floor in a small shack are all welcome luxuries after 30k arduous trekking. Each morning we treated the village dogs for worms, ticks, and fleas before treating our own blisters and setting out again.
When we arrived at our final destination the village of Mae Satop we could hardly keep up with Puchi and Mae Chum. Not only did they know they were home but they could see the other four elephants in the distance. The family was about to be reunited. All of the six elephants came from this jungle except one. She is a nineteen-month old who was born in a trekking camp. This lucky elephant will never experience the grueling training and work required of trekking elephants. Puchi and Mae Chum were visibly surprised by the young adolescent's appearance but they adjusted quickly to the new addition to the small herd. Another of the six is pregnant. She will be the first former trekking elephant that we know of to give birth in the wild.
After a short tribal ceremony we shared stories and concepts with the villagers. Their thoughts were almost unanimous, they were all shocked at the seemingly novel idea that western tourists might actually pay money to see elephants being elephants in the jungle rather than in circuses or riding on their backs.
The six lucky elephants were set free in the forest on June 13 (what a beautiful image: six giant elephant butts disappearing into the misty jungle) and Lek and her crew set off for the city to prepare for the next release in what we all hope sets a precedence for a new trend in more ethical conservation tourism. Bring the Elephants Home may not be the ideal situation for Thailand's elephants but it sure is a step in the right direction. It gives promise to a future for elephants that is far more humane and progressive than current trends.
Thank you Lek for giving RTC the exclusive opportunity to document this glorious event for you. We will have clips uploaded shortly.
