It was the highlight of our trip last year so we decided to go back, but this time overnight!
As we had been before we had an idea about what to expect. But when we arrived, the park had changed so much we wondered if we were in the same place! The park now has 30 Elephants, over 50 dogs and over 30 cats. Lek (the founder) just can't say no to all of the animals in need.
On the first day we did the same as last time - fed and bathed the Elephants, then watched a documentary called 'Vanishing Giants'. Dionne didn't want to watch it again because it was pretty upsetting last time. I watched it but managed to hold in my tears, I think the last time I watched it I was so naiive and had no idea of the torture I was about to watch. This time I knew what was coming and wasn't so much in shock regardless of how sad that doco is. I also bought it on DVD this time so eventually I can show people at home instead of trying to explain how the Elephants spirit is broken. On day one we spent most of the day with a Kiwi couple (some of the 1st Kiwis Ive seen so far!) Rebecca and Richard. They were only there for the day and were gutted they couldn't stay the night!
There was an ISV group volunteering too, I chatted to some of the volunteers breifly and they seemed to be having an awesome time. I was gutted I wasn't volunteering with them!
Out huts for the night at the park were SO nice, and the bed was so comfortable I almost couldn't get up for breakfast the next day. The balcony went all the way around the hut with views over the park and Elephants strolling by. It was perfect for meditation and yoga...until an Ele blows its trumpet!
On the 2nd day 'Brad Pitt' aka 'Mammoth' (I love how Thai guys give themselves movie star names so we remember them!) took us for a walk around the park and told us everything he knows about the Elephants. Heres what I can remember:
Elephants are pregnant for 22 months, longer if it is a boy, and the baby tries to walk straight away. Although at first it often thinks its trunk is its 5th leg!
They have 4 teeth in their mouth which are replaced 6 times in their life. When the 6th set wears away (from eating so much!) that is when they die because they can no longer feed themselves, knowing this they seperate from the pack into the jungle to die and later on the pack will walk into the jungle to pay respect to the dead.
Female Elephants can become pregnant at around 13, have around 6 babies and die between 70 and 80 years old.
Mothers are very protective of their babies and often find 'nannies' to help. The families at the Elephant Nature Park are not blood related but they still form communities which they love and look out for.
Elephants eat for 18 hours a day and sleep for 4 hours. That doesn't leave much time for tourist trekking!
They eat 40% of their body weight each day and only digest 60% of their food. One can only assume the rest just goes straight back out the other end...
There is a plant which I didnt get the name of... when rubbed together it makes a red paint and the females use it to paint their toenails!
Speaking of toenails...they play a very important part in the balance and walking of an Elephant. They also feel a lot about the environment around them using the bottom of their feet.
You can tell how old an Asian Elephant is by how hollow their temples are.
Asian Elephants are smaller than African Elephants, they have rounder backs and bums, and only 1 'finger' on their trunk where as African Elephants have 2 'fingers'.
The Asian Elephants tusks are now growing shorter because of people poaching them.
Well I hope you all learnt a little about Elephants in that blog if you managed to make it to the end!
<3 Elephants
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