The Walk to Freedom!

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On the 18th May 2019 two beautiful female elephants ‘Sam Boon’ and ‘Sri Naun’ were rescued from a trekking camp in Koh Samui. They had spent the majority of their lives working, one pregnant and one in bad health due to years of malnourishment.

Visitors, volunteers and the local community walked 10 hours through the night alongside the team from Samui Elephant Haven Sanctuary to transport the beauties to their new home.

Once they got to the Sanctuary, Sam Boon was reunited with her 7 year old baby that she had been separated from 5 years ago, the baby recognised her mum straight away and jumped up on the bars of the pen!

One walker says “This was an unforgettable experience and I am so happy I got to take part and to meet these beautiful creatures and the amazing people who were so dedicated to helping them.

We must raise awareness so that tourists realise it is NOT OK to ride these beautiful animals they spend most of their lives in pain and misery because of this, you can really see sadness in their eyes it’s heartbreaking!”.

These girls are now safe in their sanctuary and resting after the long walk home!

The whole mission has been helped by Lek Chailert, founder of Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai.

The reason for the walk was because they had not been on trucks for decades, causing them to be scared of them. One elephant is 16 months pregnant also and it was too dangerous for her.

Samui Elephant Haven says,

“They can live a new life and become more independent at the samui Elephant Haven without chains and hooks.

They will have a new family with other elephants here and one of them is the Mothers real daughter”.

Samui Elephant Haven which provides a sanctuary for rescued elephants on the tropical island of Koh Samui. The elephants now living here previously endured difficult lives that included logging, elephant riding, street begging, and performing in circus shows. With that life behind them, these lucky elephants are now free to express their natural instincts without fear – interacting with each other in beautiful natural surroundings, foraging on native plants, and playing together in their custom built pool and mud pit. Visitors to our sanctuary are provided with a meaningful encounter with these magnificent animals in an environment where they are respected and admired.

You can visit Samui Elephant Haven and will be choosing to support an ethical form of elephant tourism that allows elephants to live in nature with peace with dignity.