Symbolizing royalty and wisdom, elephants have always been depicted as powerful yet pure. Being in Thailand where they are held sacred, a close encounter with this majestic beast was a must.
Throughout history, many cultures have revered the mighty elephant. Hindus attributed sacred qualities to Ganesha. Africans praised them for their size, stamina and mental faculties. Europeans poached them for the insatiable appetite for luxurious ivory. In America, the elephant is elevated to a political symbol for the Republican Party. In Asia, however, the elephant doesn’t always enjoy a prestigious status. Advertised on tourist trekking tours, this majestic animal’s tale is one of agony and exploitation.
Researching for activities to do, I stumbled upon plenty of tours offering elephant rides. It seemed harmless at first, thinking this would be just like riding a horse, only bigger. I thought they must enjoy the phalangs (foreigners) on their backs, otherwise wouldn’t they be stampeding all over the place? Until I read articles on “why you shouldn’t ride elephants in Thailand”.
Turns out there are a few sanctuaries across Thailand that are home to rescued animals. From monkeys, to birds, to bears, to tigers, and eventually elephants. The WFFT (Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand) is one such location that offers an oasis of peace for these tormented animals. The WFFT is an NGO founded in 2001 by Edwin Wiek. They receive a lot of help from animal protection organizations and many volunteers from all over the world.
Located just 3 hours south west of Bangkok in the Petchaburi province, curiosity called. We booked a tour through Bangkok Best Travel, with a private chauffeur that picked us up from our condo in a comfortable air conditioned car. Once on site, we were grouped and assigned a guide to take us through the sanctuary. Sitting on a large donated land, the organization serves both as a rehabbing center and for tours, with the option of eco lodges for retreat where people can stay to enjoy the peace and the wildlife of the natural surroundings.
Our group hopped on a mini train to visit the multiple fenced shelters housing elephants and other creatures. Our guide taught us with great detail how and why the rescued animals were brought to the sanctuary, each with its own personal story of struggle. We learned, for example, about the abduction process of baby elephants and how they are broken into bondage. I will spare you the harrowing graphic details here which you can research on your own. But each animal told a gut-wrenching story.
Not only are elephants exploited for leisure tours, but are forced into performing dangerous circus tricks and worked to death by farmers. Monkeys told their stories of being raised indoors as pets, completely forgetting how to socialize in their natural habitats, or find a mate. For example one orangutan was “addicted” to human behavior and craved for attention to having his picture taken and waving bye-byes. Seemingly unharmful, this behavior tends to isolate these mistreated animals from other primates, and have to relearn socializing skills with their own kind. In another case of animal torture, there was a macaque that lost an arm in a street performance career, being continuously chained by his master.
We went on afterwards and actually got to wash and feed an elephant! It was a relief to be able to contribute a tiny fraction into a living soul’s happy moment. Watching them nonchalantly swim and bathe in the sun, they noticed us… and strolled over for a friendly visit. These intelligent animals seemed to want to say hi in person. We were amazed at their desire to interact. Seeing how they were given the opportunity to enjoy life in their retirement years restored our faith in humanity.
Visiting WFFT, or any other sanctuary is very much encouraged. To us, we felt more connected with the wildlife and embraced the need for animals to live dignified. As visitors it is our responsibility to research before we engage in a foreign land by learning what’s beyond the main tourist attractions. In a small scale utopia, WFFT fulfills the mission of providing a safe haven for abused creatures, and a sense of accomplishing something good.
Getting there from Bangkok: https://goo.gl/maps/ZJBnzD6RVMw
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