Phuket Elephant Sanctuary is a Loving Home for Elephants
During our trip to Phuket, Thailand, one of the activities that I had high on my “must-do” list was to observe the largest land mammals on earth – elephants. I absolutely adore elephants and couldn't leave the island without seeing at least one. Fortunately, on the day we were leaving, we were able to visit the Phuket Elephant Sanctuary, which is the only ethical elephant sanctuary on the island.
The Phuket Elephant Sanctuary is a home for retired working elephants and is situated on 30 acres of lush tropical jungle. Visitors have the unique opportunity to observe how elephants rehabilitate into forest life after living decades of abuse by their previous owners.
Established in 2016, the sanctuary currently has eight elephants. It serves as a final home for old and injured elephants who were forced to work in the tourism or logging industry. All of the elephants have endured physical pain and injuries from being ordered to comply with the labor demands.
Photo Credit: Phuket Elephant Sanctuary
Phuket Elephant Sanctuary Facts
The Phuket Elephant Sanctuary is a joint venture between Mr. Montri Todtane, an elephant camp owner in Phuket, and the famous elephant rescuer and conservationist Lek Chailert, who is the founder of the Save Elephant Foundation.
After the success of Lek Chailert's Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai, which aims to provide a natural habitat for elephants, the Phuket Elephant Sanctuary is the first of its kind in Phuket. It aims to rescue, retire, and rehabilitate elephants that have previously worked in the trekking and logging industries, with a focus on high animal welfare standards.
Over the past decade, Lek Chailert has been instrumental in driving change in the industry, encouraging elephant riding camp owners to embrace change through the Save Elephant Foundation's ‘Saddle Off' program. Although there is still work to be done, her tireless efforts have resulted in many camp owners approaching Elephant Nature Park to learn more about ethical tourism and elephant welfare.
It's important to note that mud bathing with elephants, which is not ethical, is not practiced at this sanctuary. The elephants are free to live out the rest of their lives in peace and good health.
“Anyone who has read my blog or knows me personally can attest that my motto is to ‘Choose Love' above all else. The owners of Phuket Elephant Sanctuary have definitely lived up to this motto by saving these poor elephants from a lifetime of abuse.”
Check out a video of the elephants swimming! (Credit: Phuket Elephant Sanctuary)
Photo Credit: Phuket Elephant Sanctuary
The Elephants at Phuket Elephant Sanctuary
Gawe Ta (Early 50's) Rescued December 8, 2016
Jan Jao (39 years old) Rescued August 30, 2017
Kannika (35 years old) Rescued September 20, 20
Madee (68 years old) Rescued September 20, 2016
Richy (70 years old) Rescued January 25, 2018
Sai Tong (55 years old) Rescued April 19, 2018
Sroy Fah (Early 30's) Rescued February 8, 2018
Tong Kwaw (38 years old) Rescued December 14, 2017
Five Fun Facts I Learned About Elephants:
- An elephant’s trunk weighs around 400 pounds and contains around 100,000 different muscles.
- Elephants have finger-like appendages at the tip and are nimble enough to pluck a single blade of grass.
- Elephants are thought to have the best sense of smell of all animals. Not too surprising as they have the largest nose in the world.
- Elephants do not use their trunks to drink through. They use their trunks to draw water and then spray it into their mouths.
- The wrinkles in an elephant's skin hold in moisture which helps to keep their skin healthy.
Save the Elephants!
If you ever find yourself in Phuket, I highly recommend paying a visit to the Phuket Elephant Sanctuary. Here, you can see rescued elephants living in their natural habitat, and the best part is that it's the only ethical elephant sanctuary in Phuket. There are several elephant sanctuaries around, so make sure to select this one to ensure you are supporting the ethical treatment of these beautiful animals. You can find all details regarding address, tour information, cost, etc. by clicking on one of their social channels below. They also offer volunteer programs, so you can help make a difference.
We were hosted by the Phuket Elephant Sanctuary and not compensated to write this post.
As always, the views expressed in my post are my own.
We hope you enjoyed Simply Amazing Living's “Phuket Elephant Sanctuary is a Loving Home for Elephants” post.
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49 Comments.
Thank you so much to write about this. I was in Chiang Mai and I know how important is to stop riding elephants and support Sanctuaries! ??
That is awesome! I want to go to Chiang Mai on my next visit.
I will definitely keep this in mind when I visit! Seeing an elephant in person is such a dream of mine! Thank you for sharing.
WOW…this is so informational. Thank you for raising awareness about this and for caring so much about these beautiful animals. xo
You are welcome!
I just love hearing about this Autumn – I love animals and am in full support of protecting, rehabilitating, and especially loving every animal on the planet. If I ever travel to Phuket I would love to visit a wonderfully supportive place such as this. Thank you so much for spreading the word and sharing!
You are welcome! Thank you for reading.
Wow! I think elephants are so beautiful. They must have been really amazing in person!
I would love to go back and volunteer at the sanctuary I loved it so much.
Oh, this is so cool. I love elephants.
Seems like a great sanctuary for elephants! I love your motto, “Choose love,” and that is what I am to do everyday. I’m glad that they are helping to restore these elephants. I feel bad for what these elephants have had to go through before they arrived at Phuket though.
Thank you! Yes, but they have a lovely home now.
Oh this is so neat! If I ever get the chance to visit the country I will definitely put this on my list!
I have had several US friends who have lived in Thailand for a period of time and had nothing but amazing things to say about the country and the culture. They all had the opportunity to visit elephant sanctuaries while they were there! And to share about how not all of the sanctuaries treat the animals well, so how it’s important for visitors to do a little research on the sanctuary they visit in advance. I’d love to go one day!
I hope you get to go one day! I love Thailand and would move there in a heartbeat if I could.
I hope you get to go. I would live there if I could.
That must have been amazing to see them up close! I absolutely love elephants!
It really was!
This is so cool! And an awesome reminder that there is still good in the world. I’m glad places like this still exist. Elephants are amazing and I hope we can save even more. What a neat experience!
It was amazing and I hope to return again soon.
Wow, elephants must really smell a lot with such a good sense of smell. I love that there’s a sanctuary for them to go to. It’s awful that animals are abused. And stories like this about people who care for animals are so uplifting.
I absolutely adore animals!
What a wonderful experience for you. I am thankful that there are so many elephant sanctuaries honoring and saving such magnificent creatures. Hooray!
Thank you. We need to take care of the world’s animals!
It is good to see that retired elephants have a home now. I hope they are treated well. Kannika sounds like an Indian name.
It really is an amazing place for these wonderful animals. I think it is an Indian name.
I adore elephants. They are magnificent creatures. How amazing to visit them up close in a sanctuary.
I do too! Thank you for stopping by!
So many fun facts about these adorable animals I did not know ! Beautiful pictures and such an amazing place this sanctuary , would really love to visit !
Thank you!
Sanctuaries are so important. These beautiful creatures can be subjected to so much harm. Glad to see they are getting the treatment they deserve.
Thank you for taking the time to read!
Animals A true Friends !! and Whenever I will visit (may be in next month) Phuket I will definitely visit this sanctuary for sure !!
THANK YOU FOR SHARING DEAR !!
Animals A true Friends !! and Whenever I will visit (may be in next month) Phuket I will definitely visit this sanctuary for sure !!
I hope you get the chance to visit the sanctuary!
This is nice to know that the elephants are being cared for in this sanctuary. They are such beautiful creatures and we must help prevent their extinction!
I completely agree!
I have seen so many elephants and entertaining acts in and around Thailand but I have missed out this good motive sanctuary. I will make it up in my next visit.
I hope you get a chance to visit the sanctuary!
Elephants have always fascinated me. Thanks for sharing this.
Me too!
You are welcome!
I love elephants. They are such beautiful creatures. I would love to visit this scantuary in Thailand. And thanks for the funfacts.
I hope you get the chance one day!
My wife has a slight obsession with elephants. She would flip out if she got to visit and see one of these beauties in real life! Thanks for sharing your experience!
You are most welcome!
These elephants are absolutely beautiful. It looks like such a great place to visit. Thailand is such a beautiful country and i hope to visit some day. Thanks for all this information!
Thank you for taking the time to read!
Elephants are so magnificent. I love them! I have never been to Chiang Mai before. It is important to stop riding elephants.
I completely agree!