Chiang Mai – The Elephants

CHIANG WAT, CHIANG MAI – On our first full day in Chiang Mai, we visited an Elephant Retirement Park.

Initially I sought to visit a park where we could ride elephants, but my brother Chris pointed out that these establishments have come under intense criticism from animal rights activists.  Chris worked for a zoo and studies the issue extensively.  Deferring to his experience and expertise in animal politics, we instead visited an elephant retirement park a couple hours north of Chiang Mai city.  It was aptly called “Elephant Retirement Park.”

At the park, we fed and bathed several elephants.  Their trainers told us about elephant habits and routines.  One egged on a baby elephant to step on me.

Here are the photos of this unforgettable experience:

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Chang Wat

Me with an elephant at Elephant Retirement Park in Chang Wat

Me with an elephant at Elephant Retirement Park in Chang Wat

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Chris

Chris feeds an elephant at Elephant Retirement Park in Chang Wat

Chris

Chris

Chris

Chris

Chris

Chris

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Chris feeding two elephants

Chris feeding two elephants

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Me with two elephants

Me with two elephants

Me with two elephants

Me

Chris with two elephants

Chris with two elephants

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Left: Noemi

Ying with two elephants

Ying with two elephants

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Lana

Lana

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Me feeding an elephant

Me with a 40-year-old elephant

Me with elephants

Me

Me feeding an elephant

Me

Chris with a 40-year-old elephant

Chris with a 40-year-old elephant

Chris with a 40-year-old elephant

Chris

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Eli with a 40-year-old elephant

Eli with a 40-year-old elephant

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Chris at left

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Left side: Chris

Chris

Left side: Chris

 

Me (on the right)

Me

Chris

Chris

Chris

Chris

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Backside: Eli

Chris

Chris

Chris

Chris

An elephant lifting Noemi

An elephant lifting Noemi

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Me kissing an elephant

An elephant gives me a kiss

Chris feeding an elephant at Elephant Retirement Park in Chang Wat

Chris

An elephant lifts me up

An elephant lifts me up

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Me feeding an elephant

Me

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Me in the background

Me in the background. Eli and Chris on the upper left.

Me on the right

Me on the right

Center: Eli, Chris. Lower right: me.

Center: Eli, Chris. Lower right: me.

Lana and her trainer

Lana, a seven-month old elephant, and her trainer

Me with Lana

Me with Lana

Me with Lana

Me with Lana

Me with Lana

Me with Lana

Me with Lana

Me with Lana

Me

Me

Me

Me

Eli with Lana, a seven-month old elephant, at Elephant Retirement Park in Chang Wat

Eli with Lana

Me with an Elephant at Elephant Retirement Park in Chang Wat

Me

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“He did it!”

Thanks for reading.  Follow @gregnasif on Twitter or Instagram for more photos and moments.