elephant beauty

at patara elephant farm

Bo Chang and his mother

Two weeks ago, we had the opportunity to be "elephant owners for the day" at Patara Elephant Farm, an organization devoted to the care, conservation, and breeding of elephants, in Chiang Mai.  To do this amazing day justice, today's post is a pictoral view of these gorgeous animals and, in my next post, I will tell you all about our experiences bathing, feeding, riding, and swimming with our elephants. 

Bo Chang, a 7-year old male

"If anyone wants to know what elephants are like, they are like people, only more so." 

Peter Corneille, in Theatreprint

 Elephant gathering grass at Patara Elephant Farm

Sai Thong, a female adult

"Writing a book is like washing an elephant: there is no good place to begin or end and it's hard to keep track of what you have already covered."

Anonymous

Elephant swimming and drinking water

"Let a person walk alone with few wishes, comitting no wrong, like an elephant in the forest."

Buddhist saying

Elephant eye, trunk, foot

 Elephant tail, ear

The question is, are we happy to suppose that our grandchildren may never be able to see an elephant except in a picture book?

David Attenborough

Elephant faces

Elephants at Patara Elephant Farm

Coming up next time: Patrick jumps on to an elephant's neck; Akila swims on an elephant's back; and we do a lot of elephant riding, feeding, and bathing.

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Comments (13)

How amazing! I would love to do something like this! It makes me sad to think about the future of elephants. I just don't understand why people poach them. -- JoAnna 02/04/2010 14:45:59 JoAnna's recent blog post: Reading: One for the Road

Awesome photos! I'm so glad you all got to go there. Seeing it makes me want to do it all over again. It was such an incredible experience. When we make it back to Chiang Mai we will be doing it again for sure. Thanks for bringing back great memories! -- Lori 02/04/2010 15:22:39 Lori's recent blog post: Seeing Antigua through the Eyes of a Local

These are absolutely gorgeous photos of the elephants! Sounds like an amazing experience and I look forward to the stories and more photos! -- Shannon OD 02/04/2010 17:32:46 Shannon OD's recent blog post: A Little Yummy?Favorite Foodie-Finds from Round the World: India

Riding an elephant is always something I've wanted to do. I've been worried that the elephants at places that offer such rides would be mistreated. Glad to hear you found a place where they care about their conservation. -- mina 02/04/2010 22:56:06 mina's recent blog post: loco natural

Gorgeous pics! We loved Chiang Mai and the elephants are such sweet souls! -- Manali + Terry 02/06/2010 18:04:32 Manali + Terry's recent blog post: Top 10 Experiences :: Day 153

Beautiful photos. We are going to the Elephant Transit Home here in Sri Lanka this week. They do amazing things rehabilitating orphaned and injured elephants and putting them back into the wild. It is run by the born free foundation. We met Ian Redmond renowned gorilla expert and UN Ambassador in India. He is also an expert on elephant conservation and it is heartbreaking to see the plight of the elephant. A big problem here in Sri Lanka is farmers and elephants trying to co-exist. Farmers shoot them when the wander into their crops. Many elephants have been killed and injured by explosives set out to kill wild boars. Another thing that we learned about was the miserable existence of temple elephants. As Ian said..."it is a dismal life being revered." So sad, but nice to see a place like this where they can roam free. -- Dave and Deb 02/07/2010 11:40:26 Dave and Deb's recent blog post: Snapshot Sunday #1-Yala National Park, Sri Lanka

Wonderful post and photos! I'm going to Thailand later this year and I've been looking into interacting with elephants in a humane environment. -- SpunkyGirl 02/09/2010 19:35:45 SpunkyGirl's recent blog post: Photo: Morón, Cuba

They look so beautiful! I like the close ups, particularly the spotty photo. Must have been lovely to see them in the wild. -- Gourmantic 02/11/2010 00:57:37 Gourmantic's recent blog post: Globalisation and the Changing Face of Travel

JoAnna, Thanks! Yesterday night, we were talking to a couple who said that, in Laos, many of these elephants are severely beaten or tortured (including placing sticks in their EYES) just to make them work. It makes me sad for the world when I think of such things. Lori, thanks! Actually, I have to give you a lot of credit because it was on your site that I first heard about Patara. I am so glad that we went there. Thanks, Shannon, Mina, and Manali and Terry, SpunkyGirl, and Gourmantic! It really is a wonderful place. Dave and Deb, The temple elephants are truly heart breaking. I think that in some cases, the priests take care of them while in others, they are left to suffer or starve. We were told that many elephants cross the border from Burma and have their legs or bodies mangled by land mines. It is sad to hear that they are being shot and killed in Sri Lanka. -- Akila 02/12/2010 02:52:23 Akila's recent blog post: elephant beauty at patara elephant farm

amazing pictures! it?s sad to think how can people hurt such great creatures -- Adriana 02/22/2010 17:57:21 Adriana's recent blog post: Carnaval in Brazil: either samba & sweat or leave to relax

Thanks Adriana! I am continuously surprised by how horrible humans can be. It is a strange world, isn't it? -- Akila 02/24/2010 03:59:19 Akila's recent blog post: sukhothai in sepia

I fell in love with elephants when we were in Thailand. they also took a real liking to my husband and would always come over to say hello to him-it was the oddest thing! What an amazing experience :) -- Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella 04/01/2010 05:32:25 Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella's recent blog post: Comment on Easter Hen and Chick Nests! by shirley@kokken69

I think elephant is our best friends and everytime I go to a zoo they are my first choice... -- iphone repair 05/30/2010 21:37:43

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