Click any part of the photo to zoom in.

Adopt a gentle giant

Asian elephants have played an important cultural and economic role for centuries, and they still roam wild in the Thai forests. Valued for their strength and dexterous trunks, elephants were once the main workforce in the teak forests of Northern Thailand, helping to transport timber. With the ban on logging in 1989, these elephants were no longer needed and consequently became a burden to their owners, who no longer had the income to support their expensive charges. Many owners resorted to taking their elephants into big cities, where they have been made to "entertain" for a living.

With Royal support, the Thai government has set up the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre (TECC) to act as a central body for the conservation and care of domestic and wild elephants and to support the communities that depend on them for their livelihood. Set up under the guardianship of the TECC, the Camp exceeds the guidelines established for the care of domestic elephants.

The adoption programme

Four Seasons Tented Camp recently adopted its first baby elephant, Nong Dah, a four-year-old girl who had never seen the jungle in her life. Through a monthly sponsorship that includes all her fodder, veterinary and incidental bills, as well as the wages and benefits for her mahouts, Nong Dah will now be able to grow up in a natural environment. With donations through similar sponsorships, baby elephants separated from their mothers before their natural weaning age, elephants now roaming city streets, and older elephants will have an opportunity to grow up – or grow old – protected and cared for by professionals.

Four Seasons Tented Camp, a member of the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation (GTAEF), offers guests the opportunity to help rescue elephants from the streets of Thai cities. Donations made through GTAEF go directly to the care and welfare of these adopted elephants, with all administration and logistical support covered by Four Seasons Tented Camp. Elephant Family, a UK-based registered charity, has also added GTAEF to their list of supported projects.

For more information about the elephant rescue programmes in Northern Thailand and about Elephant Family, please contact the Camp directly at camphost.chr@fourseasons.com or visit the Elephant Family web site at www.elephantfamily.org.