Thailand: Elephants on 'great migration' to survive corona-virus starvation

With the collapse of the tourism industry due to corona-virus, many of Thailand's captive elephants are now at risk of starvation.  BBC Thai follows one group of elephant keepers journeying into the mountains to find food.

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Thailand's working elephants, now unemployed due to coronavirus, trudge home to natural habitat

"These elephants have not had a chance to return home for 20 years. They seem to be very happy when arriving home, they make their happy noises, they run to the creek near the village and have fun along with our children," Mr Serichevee said. 

"We don't know when COVID-19 will go away," said Save Elephant founder Saengduean Chailert.

"So this is our task, to help feed the elephants that were laid off because of the outbreak."

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Out of work from coronavirus, these elephants pack their trunks & head home 

Save Elephant’s founder, Saengduean Chailert, said the project to bring out-of-work elephants home was launched in response to appeals from their owners. Her group promotes settling elephants where they can live alongside villagers in sustainable eco-friendly communities. It believes the animals are abused at many high-profile tourist attractions.

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With coronavirus destroying tourism industry, Thailand elephants in captivity risk starvation. 

The millions of unemployed in Thailand due to the corona virus include elephants dependent on tourists to feed their voracious appetites.

With scant numbers of foreign visitors, commercial elephant camps and sanctuaries lack funds for their upkeep and have sent more than 100 of the animals trudging as far as 95 miles back to their homes.

The Save Elephant Foundation in the northern province of Chiang Mai has been promoting the elephants’ return to the greener pastures of home. The foundation supports fundraising appeals to feed animals still housed at tourist parks, but also believes it is good for them to return to their natural habitat where they can be more self-sufficient.

The situation is critical. London-based World Animal Protection says as many as 2,000 tame elephants are at risk of starvation because their owners are unable to feed them.

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Elephants in Thailand face starvation as coronavirus knocks out tourism

 They are the biggest victims of the coronavirus.

About 1,000 captive elephants in Thailand could be facing starvation as the global COVID-19 pandemic has all but wiped out the nation’s tourism industry — a large portion of the Asian country’s economy.

“If there is no support forthcoming to keep them safe, these elephants, some of whom are pregnant, will either starve to death or may be put on the streets to beg,” Lek Chailert, founder of the Save Elephant Foundation, told the BBC. “It’s a very bleak outlook unless some financial help is received immediately.”

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Thai elephants, out of work due to coronavirus, trudge home

...more than 100 of the animals have marched from all over Chiang Mai to their homeland of Mae Chaem, which is dotted with villages where members of the Karen ethnic minority live and traditionally keep elephants.

Thursday, April 30, 2020, photo provided by Save Elephant Foundation, a herd of 11 elephants are guided along a paved road during a 150-kilometer (93 mile) journey from Mae Wang to Ban Huay in northern Thailand. Save Elephant Foundation are helping elephants who have lost their jobs at sanctuary parks due to the lack of tourists from the coronavirus pandemic to return home to their natural habitats. 

Save Elephant´s founder, Saengduean Chailert, said the project to bring unemployed elephants home was launched in response to appeals from their owners.

Her group promotes settling elephants where they can live alongside villagers in sustainable eco-friendly communities.

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Thailand elephants walk home after collapse of tourism. Find out why this could be a blessing!!  

Thank you Lindsey Baker - Jane Unchained News Janeunchained.com for letting us share the Gentle Giants Stay Home Project story. 

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Red+ | La colombiana que lucha por los elefantes en Tailandia Video 

Thank you RED+ Noticias & DanielaGarzon for sharing the story of these gentle giants and our wonderful, unique Project. 

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Diana Muñoz has been struggling for several years to end the exploitation and torture of elephants in Thailand. Now looking for sponsors to help them with their support. 

Thank you Revista Semana  for giving  Diana this platform& amazing opportunity to help raise awareness of the horrors baby elephants and their mothers endure in the tourist industry!! The Gentle Giants is the promise to help end the cruelty. 

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La colombiana que libera elefantes en Tailandia 

Duración: Pódcast El Diario - Publicado: 16 de julio de 2020

Diana Muñoz logró que varios elefantes que viven en cautiverio y eran sometidos a torturas, fueran liberados en santuarios naturales, gracias a la fundación que creó para ellos en medio de la pandemia. Escuche la historia completa en El Diario.

 
Duration: El Diario Podcast - Posted: July 16, 2020 Diana Muñoz managed to get several elephants who live in captivity and were subjected to torture, to be released in natural sanctuaries, thanks to the foundation she created for them in the midst of the pandemic. Hear the full story in El Diario. 

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The Colombian that protects elephants in Thailand  

Eleven elephants that walked 100 miles are part of this group and are now under the protection of Diana Muñoz, who decided to found a few weeks ago, together with Colby Steiner, the non-profit organization Gentle Giants (Gentle Giants) which seeks sponsors for the elephants.

Muñoz explained that with the money that the sponsors donate, the caretakers or owners of the elephants are paid a fixed monthly salary to take care of the animals and not rent then out or mistreat them. Additionally, people can purchase food.

Thank you Semana Sostenible for sharing the Gentle Giants Stay Home Project's story!

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Hundreds of pachyderms of all ages advance through the vegetation with their expressive glances, moving away from the populations, where they were subjected to exploitation, to serve as an attraction for tourists in Thailand. 

The Gentle Giant Stay Home Project seeks that elephants are no longer prey to abuse and slavery, neither baby chains, nor mature elephants. 

Thank you  https://prensaanimal.com/  for helping to bring more awareness to the plight of Thailand's captive elephants 

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The story of baby elephant abuse and terror is unmentionable ... But a hope looms in a sanctuary. 

Without a doubt, it comes to mind how a pandemic had a positive impact so that the elephants could free themselves, at the beginning of the mistreatment to which the structure imposed by the tourist companies has subjected them.

Thank you  https://prensaanimal.com/  

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In Thailand, and due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the fall of tourism companies opened the opportunity for international organizations such as Save Elephant Foundation, founded by Saengduean Lek Chailert and The Gentle Giants Stay Home Project could realize a dream they had for 25 years, and that is to get hundreds of elephants towards a life free of slavery and mistreatment as a result of the exploitation of the tourist industry in that country.  

Thank you  https://prensaanimal.com/  

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Due to the #COVID19 pandemic and strict travel bans in place throughout #Asia, #Thailand’s elephants have sadly been left starving due to lack of money generated by tourism. 💔🐘

WAN talked with elephant whisperer and prominent conservationist, Saengduean Lek Chailert, who is the Founder of Save Elephant Foundation - มูลนิธิอนุรักษ์ช้างและสิ่งแวดล้อม and Elephant Nature Park located in Northern Thailand, about the dire situation and her new partnership with the Gentle Giants Stay Home Project. 💛🐘

“Ninety percent of the elephants in Thailand work in tourism as riding elephants, begging elephants, or work in the logging industry. Their owners and mahouts are struggling to feed them because there are no tourists in Thailand due to the pandemic,” Lek told WAN.

Lek has been asked by her opposition, including elephant riding camps and logging businesses, for her expertise and help. She and her team have been visiting the camps and feeding the working elephants trying to convince the owners to set their elephants free to established sanctuaries. In one case, she helped to free 78 working elephants. 🙏💞🐘

Many thanks to our Ally World Animal News  https://www.facebook.com/BreakingWorldAnimalNews  

Click photo to read full article & help support Lek & #GentleGiantsStayHome Save The Elephants Of Thailand 

Estuve con una espectacular guardiana, Diana Muñoz de @gentlegiantsstayhome. Nos contó sobre su proyecto que desarrolla en Asia para proteger a los elefantes.

PRIVATE with #tatianajaureguiactriz with Diana Muñoz to talk about the great project Gentle Giants Stay Home Project. Diana will tell us how the elephants who were news worldwide are when they had to walk 100 miles for avoid starvation. Who in turn had to survive wildfires on their way. Diana will also tell us about torture what elephants are subjected to in the tourism industry. 

Muchas graciats lajaureguiactriz

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"Elephants and Life During the Corona"

(translated)

"Elephants around the world have also had to get used to a very different everyday life: In Thailand, for example, many elephant riding venues have had to close their doors, perhaps even permanently. This was great news for overworked and ill-treated elephants…. but soon a new problem arose: The owners no longer had the money to feed their elephants when the money ran out. The situation has given birth to many new solutions during the spring and summer, fortunately helping hands have been found all over the world. During the worst Corona period, the rescues of elephants were interrupted due to limitations, but now many Elephants have already reached safety. In Thailand, Elephant Whisperer Saengduean Lek Chailert has helped many elephant owners in addition to his own Elephant Nature Park site, whether it is food for elephants or providing a new home from the ENP. Lek Chailert's Save Elephant Foundation - มูลนิธิอนุรักษ์ช้างและสิ่งแวดล้อม - มูลนิธิอนุรักษ์ช้างและสิ่งแวดล้อม is a partner with the non-profit Gentle Giants Stay Home Project, established during the corona. The need for this came soon after the corona broke out.

Thank you Sanna Nerola

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Original Art available https://www.facebook.com/sanelieart/ 

Article published in Semana magazine - Print & Digital

"Diana Muñoz, the Colombian who is a guardian angel of the elephants in Thailand

Not even threats stop this woman from Bogotá, who is fighting against the exploitation of these giants in the Asian country. She created a program to sponsor and keep them in times of coronavirus.

Diana calls Chailert "the matriarch of the matriarchs." Almost two months ago, she and Colby Steiner founded Gentle Giants, a non-profit organization through which they seek sponsors for these and other elephants."

Many thanks to @revistasemana

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Meet the person that Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton honored as one of the 6 MOST IMPORTANT WOMEN IN CONSERVATION for 2010! 

Lek Chailert is a world renowned elephant conservation expert, with 25 years' experience. She is also the founder of Save Elephant Foundation. She is also partner & co-founder of Gentle Giants Non-Profit.

Also joining in are Gentle Giant Non-Profit co-founders Diana Muñoz and Colby Steiner. See the amazing work they are doing in elephant conservation, working in collaboration with elephant owners and their local communities in finding a more harmonious and peaceful coexistence with the gentle giants. Lindsey Baker hosts #LIVE on the #ActionHour for JaneUnchanined.com News Network. #elephants #conservation #wildlife #mahouts #saveelephantfoundation #gentlegiantsnonprofit #Hillaryclinton #coexist

Many thanks, once again, to Lindsey Baker 

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Gentle Giants Nonprofit returns to update us on their miraculous elephant rescue stories. Today on the Action Hour my very special guests are  Diana Munoz and Colby Steiner of Gentle Giants Non-Profit. 

Also representatives from two other amazing Elephant rescue organizations are joining us because they are working hand-in -hand with Gentle Giants to help save the Asian elephants.  Kiersten Cluster and Wendy Marcus-Minovitz are with Elephant Guardians of Los Angeles and Mary-Ann Holm is with Lucy's Edmonton Advocates Project. 

#LIVE the Action Hour is hosted by Lindsey Baker on Jane Unchained News Network.  #elephants #rescue #asia #tourism #elephantrides #begging #poverty #animal #rescue #nonprofit

Many thanks, once again, to Lindsey Baker & Jane Unchained News  @JaneVelezMitchell
 

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Diana Muñoz, from the Gentle Giants, talks about exploiting animals on reserves and ′′sanctuaries′′

Join Poli and Ufo in this edition that promises to make you more aware of this topic.

"Elephants should not be enslaved in tourism or locked in a zoo. Gentle Giants is a excellent program to help elephants, the people who care for them and your community  " ~ Carlos Lastra 

#vegan #derechosanimales
 

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Hosted by Debbie Dahmer

Guests will be: Diana Munoz -Founder & Colby Steiner – Co Founder of The Gentle Giants Stay Home Project

TOPIC: How many elephants that Gentle Giants is helping & many more elephants in need of help.

Gentle Giants non-profit partners with, Lek Chailert; world renown elephant conservationist - founder of Save Elephant Foundation. 

Robin Chandler Vitulle - Free All Captive Elephants

"I listened to the show after recording and I can’t THANK Diana Munoz and Colby Steiner enough for this wonderful program GENTLE GIANTS. Thailand elephants suffer unimaginable torture for human entertainment. Because of the coronavirus the tourism has come to a halt. Thank goodness right? Not so much, as we have learned, because they are starving and in a worse situation without the ability to feed the elephants. BETTER in the way they are not brutalized daily with hundreds of tourists riding on their backs, but worse off because their owners cannot feed or house them properly. The suffering never seems to end. The opportunity to see the owners and mahouts return these magnificent elephants to the jungles from which they came and begin to heal mentality and physically is a dream and we want this for EVERY SINGLE ELEPHANT. Yes, We know the horrors of what these elephants endure while chained up, beaten with bull hooks, babies born to mothers only to be sadistically ripped away and BROKEN to live (suffer) the same torment as their mothers to be slaves for humans. The opportunity is NOW and you have seized it. Saving so many elephants that are suffering, showing the owners and mahouts a new and kinder way to care for their elephants, raising funds to house and feed so many in this time of need...is just heartwarming and INCREDIBLE!! Thank you for all you are doing."
 

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Hosted by  CHEF AJ  

"THE MISSION AND PURPOSE OF CHEF AJ LIVE IS TO EDUCATE AS MUCH AS ENTERTAIN. CRUELTY CAN'T STAND THE SPOTLIGHT. " ~ Chef AJ

Guests: Diana Munoz & Colby Steiner – Founders of The Gentle Giants Stay Home Project

As COVID-19 brought the tourist industry to a halt in Thailand many gentle giants and their mahouts were forced to walk back to their villages. At the trekking camps there was no more food or work for the mahouts and their elephants. It was heartbreaking to see and even harder to imagine that the gentle giants would probably be forced back to work in the illegal logging industry once they reached the villages. Facing such urgency, we were forced to put on our thinking caps; trying to come up with solutions on how to help not only the elephants from having to go back to a life of hard labor and long hours working in the tourist industry, but also their mahouts. Originally all these elephants were leased out  so that tourist can ride on their backs, see them do circus tricks, paint etc.  Opportunity presented itself, the new nonprofit Gentle Giants was born.  
 

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Fifteen baby elephants could be separated from their mothers

Sam Hancock @samhancock95
 

Thank you Independent UK for lending your voice to help the captive gentle giants in Thailand in danger of being sold to the horrific illegal logging industry and tourist industry. 

"Gentle Giants, which campaigns for elephant rights, told The Independent that the 23 at-risk adult elephants will be sold into the logging industry, while the calves will be recruited into Thai-based, Chinese-owned circuses, should enough funds not be secured to keep them safe."

Thank you Sam Hancock for this amazing article! 

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