June 15, 2010
After a ninety-minute drive I arrived at Lek’s Elephant Nature Park, north of Chiang Mai. Although I have known Lek for years, this was my first visit to the Nature Park. I have always marveled at the similarities shared between our two facilities but seeing the place for myself amplified just how similar our philosophies and work for elephants is.
The first thing shared was a piercing glance and sincere condolences for what had transpired in my life over the past several months. Lek shot me a glance, no words necessary, and instantly I felt that she knew exactly how I felt. When she did speak her words were simple, “Never give up. You can’t give up.”
Lek comes from a place of knowing that to give up is just not an option. The reason that both of us have been able to create what we have is because of who we are; giving up is simply not in our vocabulary.
So I must say, the day started on a good note and continued throughout the day. Lek’s place is more developed than I imagined. It is well designed and organized. With nearly 200 employees and a dozen volunteers, the place is quite busy. A new river wall is being constructed which made me feel right at home.
Dump trucks full of large rock and cement trucks came on grounds all day, reminding me of our corral construction of recent. The difference being that instead of the elephants racing over to the noisy trucks to investigate and play like our girls do, Lek’s elephants kept their distance. I asked and was told they are not attracted to the trucks. Instead they remained in the vast grazing area, paying little attention to the comings and goings of the roaring engines and clatter of the rock being dumped in the construction zone.
Of course there always has to be one or maybe two elephants who do not follow the norm. In this case it was the youngest members of the herd — two yearling calves who found the activity at the construction site irresistible. The mahouts did their job well, following the playful young elephants like dutiful nannies, never chastising, only shadowing their huge babies. Verbally they encouraged the calves to return to the pasture with the other elephants. Of course, the antics of the calves was quite comical for observers. Only after grabbing a bolt cutter, tossing it on the ground and trying to put a head print into a sheet of plywood were the playful elephants escorted out of the construction site and back out to pasture.
While visitors were given instruction on the day’s routine, safety parameters, proper elephant observation, feeding and bathing etiquette, the staff, volunteers and elephant keepers expertly went about the business of caring for the guest and elephants.
This is a very well-run organization. In stark contrast to the stressed-out elephants I observed yesterday, the elephants at Lek’s Nature Park are calm and comfortable with their lives. I can’t say I was surprised to see how comfortable the elephants are; the facilities provide for the elephants’ every need. They are indeed very lucky elephants.
