Baan Chang Elephant Rescue - Tongjan

Jan 24, 2016
2 min read

Although half of our program just narrowly missed our first flight to Chiang Mai and were in jeopardy of missing the most exciting excursion of the trip.....we MADE IT to Baan Chang Elephant Park and Rescue in Chiang Mai! I have never experienced anything like it, and hope to again soon. I spent my time with Tongjan, a gorgeous Asian elephant female. Taking care of her, feeding her, bathing her, gaining her trust and becoming her friend was a dream made a reality. Her blend of power and gentle nature was captivating and inspiring. To learn from her and the other elephants in her herd at the park was an honor I will forever cherish. Our time at Baan Chang consisted of a complete education of: elephant feeding, daily activities for domestic elephant, daily health care, elephants body languages and communications, how a trainer creates a relationship and respectfulness with an elephant, bathing and brushing, spoken commands, and how to treat elephants to make them comfortable and happy both in captivity and in the wild. I cannot stress the importance of the history and continued existence of these creatures enough.

About Baan Chang:

- Baan Chang is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing elephants with the highest quality-of-life possible. Every cent that they receive goes towards making the life of each elephant a happier and healthier one than they were used to before they were rescued from lives of abuse or neglect.

- The park adopts and rescues elephants from unsuitable living condition such as circuses, and illegal logging camps.

- Baan Chang is strictly AGAINST the practice of separating baby elephants from their mother, as well as the practice of elephant painting and the training to dance and to sit or stand on two legs.

- The Magical Elephant Mahout Training course is a program created to teach people about and hot to interact with elephants.

- The program also teaches visitors about the importance elephant preservation and proper eating, sleeping, bathing, and exercising methods.