Elephant sanctuary in Thailand

Elephants are currently the biggest animals on earth. 96 elephants are killed every day in Africa. These animals, real symbols of the African continent, have an activity allowing to keep a real balance of the whole ecosystem in which they involve. Almost 65% of the forest population disappeared from 2002 to 2013.Yet, elephants are real guardians of the ecosystem’s good health and many species’ habitat. Indeed, their disseminator role (seeds transport) in the African forests is vital. They enable seeds diffusion and thus the primary forest regeneration. Elephants are known for their great intelligence, their complex communication means and their ability to express their joy, their anger, love and compassion.Their highly developed social organization make them fascinating animals.

We support the sanctuary in Thailand which is a non-profit organization, led by Mrs. Sangdeaun Lek Chailert, a young Thai woman, born in 1961 in a village located in the north of Chang Mai. Nominated by Hillary Clinton as one of the 6 most influential women regarding protecting the planet, Lek created this sanctuary for elephants in Thailand. Free Spirit decided to support this woman-hero foundation as her human, respectful and caring approach moved us. The foundation deals with “picking up” elephants mistreated in circus, zoos or centers performing the “locking” (a servitude technique in which elephants feets are tied with chains and are retained upright nights and days without being able to walk, move nor lie down) or any servitude behaviour of any kind. Lek, the volunteers and the employees of the center aim at nurturing résident elephants , helping them finding decent life conditions back but most of all, giving them the love they were deprived of.

Free Spirit’s Conservation Partners are committed to protecting endangered species and helping wildlife and people to coexist. We provide specific funding to projects from local non profit organizations.

Free Spirit made donations to that elephant sanctuary. We also go to the field to support them as our Deputy Director went to Thailand to visit the sanctuary. Finally we created a book about endangered species with a famous painter called SANDROT. Part of the benefits enable us to make some donation to the sanctuary.