What are the Long Term Goals for the project?
We currently have 7 full time Elephants on the project, which we work with every day and these elephants have on average 4 hours a day off chains either roaming in the Enclosure or out on walks in the forest. This is the maximum number of elephants we can currently take on the project, mainly for safety reasons around volunteers.
However we have two part time projects that we run to support more elephants in the centre. We can support up to 5 retired female Elephants who gain 3 hours every day off chains in our enclosure which come on walks with us to the river twice a week.
We want to expand the project to help support more Elephants from within the centre to have time free off chains by creating more part-time projects for them to join.
Another way we would like to support more Elephants in the centre is by helping their mahouts to build shelters to protect them from the sun.
We are also currently in talks with the local schools about setting up a teaching English programme. Which volunteers will be able to be a part of and help educate the Thai children not only English language but also environmental issues, such as waste management.
Another long term goal is to educate volunteers and passing tourists about the issues facing Elephants both in Asia and Africa and the threats that they face. And within this how more responsible volunteer tourism can help the welfare of these animals as well as providing the mahouts with sustainable income. We hope that by providing this alternative form of eco-tourism that we can set an example for other projects to follow.