Mariana and I visited a refuge for adopted elephants, many of whom have been neglected and abused. The park was located an hour and a half north of Chiang Mai, near the epicenter of the infamous "Golden Triangle" of Southeast Asia. It was started in 1995 by a tiny Thai woman with a huge heart and a desire to offer any and all pachyderms a safe haven. The Elephant Nature Park's mission embraces positive reinforcement and promotes an elephant-human relationship built on the cultivation of reciprocal love and respect. We learned about the history of each elephant and were given an inside look at their challenging rehabilitation. We were also given the opportunity to feed them by hand and bathe them in the cool waters of the river that runs through the picturesque property. We were proud to hear that the park's benefactor was a gracious man who lives in Austin, Texas. I will let the pictures and videos speak for themselves.
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