The Project

Background

This old elephant retirement project in Mae Chaem, Chiang Mai, Thailand was established in 2011, with the aim of educating both owners and mahouts, as well as the locals, on the elephant situation in Thailand and providing an alternative for owners to retire their elephants to a place to call home.  The project currently rents 2 old female elephants, to provide an alternative for owners so they can keep their elephants out of work from trekking camps or in the tourism industry and in a natural home where they can enjoy freedom and have the ability to behave like real elephants.  They also rescue, rehabilitate and release local wildlife back into the wild and have been successful in the release of owls, many small lizards and even baby native forest rats. They are also a sanctuary to tortoises, dogs, cats and other small animals.

The project also works within the community teaching English to the local village children and anyone that wants to learn, provides locals with employment opportunities and support for local businesses, and also grows seasonal crops on the sanctuary to be more sustainable and environmentally friendly. 

Volunteering with Elephants

The project relies on assistance from volunteers to help care for the elephants of the sanctuary and to support its community development programmes. Volunteers are involved in a range of tasks in the sanctuary such as;

• walking with the elephants,
• bathing the elephants,
• preparing fruit for the elephants (cleaning, cutting),
• feeding the elephants,
• going to cut grass and corn for elephants,
• helping with projects around the property for the elephants or in the local village.

Another main focus for this project is small animals rescue and release work.  Volunteers have rescued tortoises and different species of owls which have been rehabilitated back to health and released back into the wild.  So you may also be involved in any ongoing small animals rescue and release programmes, including building animal enclosures, making beds for animals, fixing fences, and so on.

In addition, Eco-tourism and environmental conservation  is promoted through planting trees, local education and community development. Volunteers have the opportunity to work together with the community and can join in on community projects, such as:

• teaching English,
• helping with educational programmes,
• tree planting and clean up days,
• providing soy milk for the elderly for nutrition,
• replacing water pipes,
• placing sand bags along the river banks to protect from flooding,
• helping to repair local houses and so on.