we visited a TRULY ETHICAL Elephant Sanctuary | Elephant Nature Park Chiang Mai Thailand

We are at Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai, a TRULY ETHICAL Elephants Sanctuary in Thailand. We spent a whole day surrounded by this huge creatures with NO RIDING, NO FEEDING, NO TOUCHING and NO BATHING.. “just” watching the Elephants with their majestic presence living happily in the wild.
Honestly, one of the best days of our life! 🐘
Visit Elephant Nature Park → www.elephantnaturepark.org/
(not sponsored, not gifted, we really loved this experience)
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00:00 intro 👋
00:38 Pick up service 🚐
01:24 Morning visit 🐘
06:52 Lunch 🍲
07:42 Afternoon visit 🐘
14:49 Gratefulness 🫶

[@mokko759]

I volunteered at ENP. Stay the week, work and enjoy the experience. The food is amazing, the work is not hard but fulfilling, there is great camaraderie amongst the volunteers and staff and the education you receive is truly humbling. Not just quarantined/sick elephants are kept in pens. The males are NOT free-roaming. They are too unpredictable and dangerous. They WILL kill you if they feel like it. They generally aren't even in the same compound as the females, they are kept across the river where it is staff-only. No breeding is allowed at the park. The few babies born at the park are from elephants that were pregnant at the time of rescue. Except for the few babies that were born at the park, none of the elephants are truly healthy. The most common injuries are: Blindness from either intentional blinding as punishment or bright circus lights. Deafness from street begging and shows/all the city noise. Landmine injuries to the feet. Broken legs from logging accidents Broken hips from forced breeding Various scarring and lesions from bull hooks and chains. When an elephant passes, they are generally buried where they pass. Stone pillars are built around the grave and a tree planted on top. You can see two in the background at 1:53. ENP provides sanctuary to more than just the elephants and water buffalo. They also have hundreds of dogs in their care, waiting for adoption, pigs, cows, rabbits etc. There is also nearly 2000 cats in their care which unfortunately will never be adopted out because they have communicable diseases so ENP provides them with medical care and a safe home for the rest of their days. Even if you can't visit the park, there have an online shop or you can donate to them directly.

[@matandangie]

Wow 🥹thank you so much for providing all the info. I’m so glad you loved it as well and we really hope to come back to volunteer there! Angie wanted to stay there forever 😍😍🐘

[@primateriawiberg2998]

❤️👍

[@terribell6697]

Lek is an amazing person , what she has created is remarkable ,she really cares and puts the elephants needs first , she’s always looking for new ways to do better …

[@Milordbovarobernese]

ENP is so far best and truly genuine Sanctuary for elephants

[@matandangie]

We loved it as well 🥹

[@cyndiebologna7365]

Thank you for this beautiful and heartfelt glimpse into the lives of these magnificent creatures. You made me cry! I want to volunteer here so I can help give back while meeting and respecting them from a distance. I do think there should far more space between the visitors and animals, but from what I understand, this is one of the better sanctuaries in Thailand. The animals do look happy; I truly hope that they are💜🐘

[@matandangie]

Wow, thank you ❤️ I (Angie) cried a lot even while editing this vlog 😅 the elephants are so magnificent ❤️ we hope you will enjoy your volunteering there, it will be an incredible adventure ❤️

[@rachelrabbit8597]

Been to this one. Amazing place! So happy they have a nice life now ❤

[@matandangie]

Being able to see the happiness in their eyes is everything 🥰🫶🏻

[@vigneshvel5251]

Loving this amazing vlog! I would be travelling to this place some time soon. Thanks for the information provided. It would also be great if you could mention what gears or equipment you used to vlog as I am also preparing myself to do vlogs!

[@matandangie]

Thank you! 😍 so glad you enjoyed! We film everything with our iPhone (12 pro max and 13 pro max) plus we have a mic from Sennheiser mke200

[@JUANORQUIO]

That’s Incredibly Awesome And Lovely Adventure!

[@matandangie]

Yes it was! Loved this place so much 😍🥹

[@annew.1]

Elephants are matriarchal so the females stick together in groups and they are very cute. Gentle and quiet with a sense of humor. As a child, I sat on my father's shoulders to look at and give the elephants a fruit snack. The elephant used its trunk to take the piece of fruit from me and when it was done eating, it used its trunk to search my empty jacket pockets. Then finding no more snacks, it then tickled me lightly and touched my little face before leaving 😂

[@annew.1]

Also if you love animals, visit a rescue horse farm. Many horses are used as equine therapy for humans who have trauma type issues. Horses are prey animals so they are sensitive to the moods of others around to alert them to predators. So they mirror your deep emotions. If you are frightened, they are the same. If you are happy, and relaxed, they will follow you around since you are their protector. Animals define us humans in many ways that are overlooked.

[@matandangie]

This seems like the cutest moment.. such precious interactions with animals will last a lifetime in our hearts.. glad you shared it with us ❤️

[@matandangie]

I (Mat) didn’t know all these things about horses and it’s fascinating what you shared! So thank you! Angie’s family has 3 horses back home in Italy and they love them so much so I definitely can see your point. We haven’t thought about a rescue horse farm yet.. so thank you so much for the tip 😍

[@matandangie]

Do you a good ethical one we should visit? 😍

[@annew.1]

@@matandangie I was at a local zoo in another country when my dad took me to see an elephant. It was behind a fenced area but it can interact with visitors. Haven't seen free roaming ones myself.

[@sittichaitipsom8955]

Thanks video happy days and good luck for you very much and Thailand beautiful elephant amazing 🙏🙏🙏🎉🎉🎉♥️♥️♥️🐘🐘🐘🐘🐘🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭

[@matandangie]

Thank you 🥹🥹❤️

[@mscatherinelong67]

I saw a friend who had been to a sanctuary that wasn’t ethical and I started posting a comment on their socials but stopped. I love their eyelashes.

[@primateriawiberg2998]

❤❤🎉

[@matandangie]

🫶

[@surfer143]

Very nice video💖🐘🐘🦣

[@matandangie]

Thank you so much 😍😍

[@melissalarson2569]

My dream is to go there. Until then i try to help support them by sending elle cakes and donating.

[@matandangie]

Awww that’s awesome Melissa 😍🥹 you’ll love it when you’ll finally go there! 🐘

[@farhatali2763]

Miss Yong fire explore power wild life this ur different types of volg best ur best fishs shark's ur super on KZbin different specialy in volg ur super ur outfits ur explore style and turely best view ur carrying for wildlife I love to and I love ur view ur carrying super tow lava stylish fire on wildlife village geart everything ur quality ability beauty experience i love u may tow unique rare expansive fine quality gems ur best ha ha ur telling about playboy this nature we r same wildlife and humans life this like body needs foods soul need relxy this ways thanks I can't not wanting next one

[@matandangie]

Thanks we are so glad you liked it! 😍

[@farhatali2763]

Too much how much too much

[@keangwooichoo6138]

Yes make sure "sanctuaries" are ethical

[@matandangie]

Exactly 🥰🙏🏻

[@KaliMaaaaa]

i love and appreciate your vids, but I would never say that this is "ethical" or a "sanctuary" for many reasons and I have talked to enough locals over the years to know, it is not. There should be ZERO interaction with tourists (especially that close) and they have numerous other issues that have been going on for years. There are no ethical animal sanctuaries in Thailand that I know of, this place is just a cleaned up version of the horrors of animal tourism I saw there decades ago, but it is all still be driven by profit. Also, this woman and her partner (i dont know if she is still with) started all the taste of heaven restaurants in Chiang Mai-another vegan rip off/money maker. If people are ethical vegans their businesses are not operated this way.

[@matandangie]

We are not against profit, if made without hurting animals.. it’s about a sustainable business for them as well, and if the “westerners” money they manage to treat animals great, I’m down for being ripped of my money 😅 If they’re not treating animals well I’d like to know more about that, and understand better what you just put it out there, cause what we saw was everything in the interest of the elephants and of the other animals living there Thanks for appreciating the videos 🙏