Jumbo Haven

Conservation Meets Ecotourism at Thailand’s Most Famous Elephant Sanctuary

Millions of tourists flock to Thailand every year to view its magnificently diverse landscapes, embrace the rich Buddhist culture, and dine on the exotic local cuisine. Itineraries also often include an elephant trek through the country’s dense rainforests or a visit to one of Thailand’s many flamboyant animal circuses. Unbeknown to many of these tourists, the animals that perform for their pleasure, have undergone many hardships in the process of their domestication – perhaps none more so than the Asian elephant.

The world’s second-largest land animal – runner-up only to the African elephant – has been an iconic symbol to the colourful kingdom formerly known as Siam for thousands of years. But much like China’s Giant Panda and the Bengal Tiger of India, Thailand’s national animal is fast becoming an endangered species.

Commonly used in warfare in earlier years, these graceful beasts have more recently been domesticated and pressed into service in the logging and tourism industries. Logging was banned in Thailand in 1989 and up until then, had been a prominent factor toward the rapid acceleration of deforestation within the country. Ironically, the working elephants contributed to the destruction of their own habitat, and in collaboration with the fact that their owners had no further practical nor profitable use for them, they were subsequently sold into the tourism and entertainment industries.

Elephants are naturally wild animals and although attacks on humans are extremely rare, necessary precautions must be taken due to their colossal size and astonishing strength. Within local communities in Thailand it is believed that to become sufficiently obedient to interact and work with humans, elephants must go through a ritual named Phajaan.

As young as four years old, the infant elephant is separated from its mother to undergo a severe, almost humiliating taming process conducted by men known as shaman. The young calf is confined into a small space and held tightly in place using constricting ropes and chains. The procedure involves physical torture including poking and prodding with sharp implements such as knives and bamboo sticks with nails embedded in the end. Other methods include food, water and sleep deprivation. The elephant must endure this until the shaman senses that it has become submissive enough to work for its owner.

Almost all of Thailand’s domesticated elephants – whether rode whilst trekking, performing tricks or street begging – must endure this gruelling ritual. It’s an unpleasant reality unbeknown to the majority of tourists who arrive in Thailand expecting an authentic encounter with wildlife.  However, there are opportunities for tourists to experience encounters with these majestic beasts that are not detrimental to their welfare.

Nestled in a remote valley amongst northern Thailand’s lush green hills lies an animal rescue and rehabilitation sanctuary named Elephant Nature Park (ENP). Located around 60 km from Thailand’s second-largest city, Chiang Mai, ENP offers its visitors a unique experience that sets it apart from many other wildlife sanctuaries. Founded in 1990 by twice awarded Thai Woman of the Year Lek Chailert, the sanctuary currently provides a retirement home to around 40 elephants rescued from the tourism and logging trades. It is also a haven for cats and dogs that were victims of the 2011 floods.

The rescued elephants at Elephant Nature Park spend most of their days roaming through the expansive park grounds with little to no human interaction.

The sanctuary’s residents are free to roam the expansive grounds, which include a long winding river and mountains densely coated in thick forest. The goal of the organisation is to provide a natural environment for previously abused elephants, along with educating visitors about ways in which they can contribute towards the conservation of the Asian elephant and its natural habitat. Elephant rides, painting, and tricks are not available at the park.

Elephants are very social animals and remain in family herds for most of their lives. ENP’s residents have come from numerous different backgrounds, each with their own distressing story – yet they have naturally bonded with one another and formed their own herds.

Jokia is a gentle 51-year-old elephant that was rescued from the logging industry and is a favorite amongst many of the park’s visitors. Before arriving at the sanctuary she was blinded by her owner after refusing to work when her newborn calf was permanently separated from her. Her owner believed that by removing her vision, she would refrain from searching for her calf and thus continue working.

Taking care of the elephants at the park would not be easy without the mahouts.

Medo was also used for logging where she gained a crippling injury to her ankle after a heavy log landed on her. The deformity prevented her from continuing in the industry and in turn, Medo was subjected to a forced breeding program which resulted in a dislocated hip and backbone. After more than twenty years of torture, she was finally rescued by Lek in 2006.

The park attempts to rehabilitate its elephants from their horrifying pasts and also acts as a veterinary practice for others not owned by the sanctuary itself. Many elephant keepers – known in Thailand as mahouts – bring their sick or injured animals for treatment that they could not otherwise afford.

A bull elephant’s breakfast

Elephant Nature Park offers its guests a variety of options when visiting the park – from the “Elephant Volunteer” package to the “Learning Elephant” day-trip. Typical activities include preparing food for the elephants before feeding some of the park’s older and mellower female tenants. Guests are led by knowledgeable and informative English speaking guides to walk freely amongst the gentle giants who are each monitored by their own personal mahout. After an appetizing buffet is presented for lunch at the open-aired, timber-built lodge, visitors are encouraged to accompany the elephants for bathing time in the shallow pebble-bedded river.

At the end of each fun-filled day, visitors tend to leave with a new sense of appreciation for wildlife and ethical tourism. The small gift shop offers them the chance to adopt an elephant and in return receive monthly updates on the chosen adoptees wellbeing and rehabilitation progress. All funds raised by the park go towards the welfare of its elephants, the restoration of the surrounding rainforest and educating the public about how they can help protect the Asian Elephant population.

Elephant Nature Park is one of the most awe-inspiring and profoundly emotional experiences available to tourists visiting Thailand. Its unique, heartwarming atmosphere helps it to exceed all visitor’s expectations and deliver an enlightening journey into the deepest roots of the Asian Elephant’s spirit.

Into the Mist

Trekking with the critically endangered mountain gorilla in Rwanda

During the past 18 months, I have been on an incredible journey throughout the Asian and African continents that has included many wonderful encounters with wildlife. From experiencing my first safari to diving with great white sharks, I have been very lucky. One might think that such a lifestyle would eventually grow wearisome, however, my desire to witness wild animals in their natural habitat grows stronger with every experience. Fortunately, I was able to further indulge my passion when I relocated to the small east African country of Rwanda last December. Aptly named “The land of a thousand hills”, Rwanda boasts a wide array of flora and fauna to be marvelled at. It is best-known among wildlife enthusiasts and conservationists for its high concentration of colourful birds and endangered primates.

Since moving to Rwanda, I have taken advantage of the many wildlife watching opportunities that this great land has to offer, visiting Akagera National Park and also travelling to the beautiful Nyungwe Forest to trek chimpanzees. There really is no other way to observe such spectacular animals than in their natural environment, as their behaviour and interactions with one another are in stark contrast to that when behind bars in a zoo. They were both truly amazing days that I will never forget. However, the magnitude of these experiences was overwhelmingly dwarfed by that of last weekend’s gorilla trekking.

Rwanda is one of three countries that are home to the critically endangered mountain gorilla. Surprisingly, it was as late as 1902 when these graceful beasts were first discovered by scientists, and since that day, mountain gorilla populations have been under serious threat of extinction. Poaching, habitat loss, disease and warfare have all contributed toward their decline and in 1981, it was estimated that as little as 254 mountain gorillas remained. Perhaps most horrifying of all, silverbacks were killed for their heads and hands which were sold to collectors. In addition, many protective parents were killed when their babies were taken away to be exhibited in zoos all over the world. Thankfully, recent years have seen large conservation efforts which have helped to ensure that these creatures have not become mere museum memories. It is now believed that there are at least 880 individuals wandering the hills of Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

A large contributing factor toward the recovery of the mountain gorilla population has been through ecotourism. Wildlife enthusiasts from all corners of the globe travel to eastern Africa to witness the glorious spectacle of the great apes roaming freely in their natural habitat. Visitors must book permits weeks in advance, as the number of people allowed to view the gorillas each day is very limited. Encounters with our primate cousins are also restricted to a single one-hour session per day, and so the $750 fee per permit may seem astronomical to some. In hindsight, I cannot put into words how insignificant the cost turned out to be.

I left the comforts of my hotel room at around six o’clock on a misty Sunday morning and shortly after I arrived at the base camp where I was to learn which gorilla family I would be trekking. My guide announced that we had been assigned to the Ntambara (fighters) group – a band of 16 individuals. I met with the six other trekkers who had been assigned to the same group and we all briefly introduced ourselves to one another. Soon after, we excitedly jumped into a jeep and headed off toward the foot of the mountain of which the Ntambara group were located. Around half an hour later we arrived at our destination, climbed out of the jeep and began our ascent up into the mist.

During the relatively effortless hike toward the national park, we made a few stops where our guide taught us about some of the flora in the area. It was interesting to learn about the local vegetation and it helped to make the 45 minutes it took to reach the border of the national park go by quickly. Before crossing through the park’s perimeter, our guide gave us instructions on how to behave when we came across the gorillas and ways in which to react to different situations that may occur. Shortly after, he received confirmation on his two-way radio that the trackers had located the Ntambara group. They continuously updated him on the location of the gorillas and it became clear to all in the group that he knew exactly how far they were positioned from us. My fellow trekkers and I were keen to learn how long we would be hiking before we found the gorillas to which our guide teasingly responded “less than five hours”.

As we climbed over the cobblestone wall which separated the surrounding farmland from the forest, it became very apparent that this was going to be an arduous trek. It had rained continuously throughout the past few days and we all found ourselves ankle deep in the thick sodden soil. We hiked for around half an hour on the main trail before we met with one of the trackers and veered off onto a completely new route. I began to grow excited as it became obvious that we were in close proximity to the Ntambara group.

We continued through the thick lush green forest for around 15 minutes before happening upon two other trackers who instructed us to stop. Within seconds I heard a noise that sounded very similar to that of bongo drums and instantly I recognised that it was the sound of a gorilla beating its chest. I could feel my eyes growing wider and an adrenaline rush like I had never felt before as the realisation set in that we were about to be acquainted with one of the greatest animals to roam the planet.

As we approached the area from which we had heard the chest-beating, a large and imposing silverback emerged from a nearby bush and slowly moved his way toward us. Members of our group began frantically throwing themselves off the trail to allow him the space to pass through. I had not imagined that I could have been within a metre or so of a wild animal with such immense power and lived to tell the tale. As he unhurriedly distanced himself from us, everybody breathed a sigh of relief as if they had believed that a strictly herbivorous creature had recently acquired a taste for human flesh. We continued on to discover more members of the Ntambara group which included two females, a juvenile and an even larger Silverback feeding in a small opening.

We spent the next hour almost entirely in silence as we observed the gorillas moving in all directions around us. As we gradually moved our way around the tranquil forest, we managed to locate other members of the Ntambara group including a few amusing adolescents. Unoriginal as it may be, though, the toddler provided the most enjoyment for me personally. Before encountering the gorillas we had been instructed that should any of the infants approach us, we should make every effort to back away in order to ensure that no complications would arise with their extremely protective parents. One of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do was distance myself from the juvenile that seemed intrigued by a fellow trekker and I. Nevertheless, I felt incredibly privileged to have been within a few feet of the curious little chap.

The enhanced elation I felt in contrast to my previous encounters with wildlife was undoubtedly down to the fact that I had spent less time behind the camera lens and more time simply observing. From previous experiences I have learnt that photographs are no substitution for enjoying the moment as it happens.

I honestly cannot find the words to express the wonder of sharing a short moment in time alongside such immensely powerful and magnificently intelligent animals. Magical perhaps, but the only way that one can really understand the euphoria surrounding even the briefest encounter with such glorious beings is to experience it for themselves.

How to Capture Stunning Wildlife Photographs on a Low Budget!

An honest article written for aspiring wildlife photographers.

For as long as I can remember I have been fascinated by wildlife and the natural world. As a child, I frequently fantasised about epic safari adventures and always envisioned that one day I might work with animals.

The most fulfilling careers aren't necessarily industry specific. We all have different interests and the things that motivate us vary greatly from one person to the next. In my experience, the happiest people tend to be those with jobs that entail work they feel passionate about.

During my mid-twenties, I developed a keen interest in photography. By merging my two passions in life, the ideal profession becomes quite clear. It feels great to be part of the minority who actually know exactly what they want to do with their life. But there's just one problem. Everybody wants to be a wildlife photographer. Okay, maybe not everybody. But I'm pretty sure most people would happily trade snapping photos of our beautiful planet's flora and fauna for their conventional nine to five.

Money is often the greatest obstacle for those wishing to pursue a career in wildlife photography. Firstly, you have to pay for all of the camera equipment and perhaps even a beginner's photography course to learn the basics. Continuous advances in technology also mean that in order to keep up with the competition, you may well need to regularly invest in new gadgetry. Once you have your medley of photographic devices at hand, you'll then have to part with your hard earned cash to fly yourself to the Serengeti or perhaps the Okavango Delta, if you prefer. That's already a small fortune you're going to have to kiss goodbye, but don't go thinking it stops there. There's also the expense of photo editing software and marketing to consider if you plan on going pro.

It has been almost four years since I made the decision to pack up the corporate lifestyle and the comforts that came with it in order to pursue my dream. Time and experience have taught me that achieving my goal isn't just going to happen overnight. In terms of career, rarely does anything good come to those who haven't worked hard for it. Persistence is key, and I've learned that one needs to be stubborn as a miffed mule to make it in this highly competitive industry.

Despite not being able to call myself a professional wildlife photographer, I am happy to have a foundation in place from which to build from. Fortunately, I've managed to establish a portfolio of fairly high standard wildlife images without having to pay big bucks. I'd like to share how I've managed to do this over the past few years, so that those working with a tight budget can also get the ball rolling. And hey, if it doesn't work out then at least you're going to have one hell of an adventure!

To start off, get yourself a DSLR camera. Don't buy into the fact you need to purchase state-of-the-art equipment to get great wildlife shots. Without a doubt, the more expensive cameras and lenses can help to achieve superior results, but there are a lot of photographers out there with all the gear and no idea. Some of the most creative photographers I've come across are using very basic equipment. All of my wildlife shots have been taken using entry level DSLR cameras and relatively cheap lenses. Most of them were captured using the very standard Canon Rebel T3i (600D) camera and a 55-250mm lens with image stabilizer.

So with the camera issue out of the way, now let's talk about how you can maximise your opportunities to build up a portfolio of stunning wildlife photos on a small budget.

From overlanding camping trips to luxurious five-star lodges, a wide range of itineraries and budgets are catered for with a large selection of tour operators and holiday packages to choose from. But unless you opt for a specialised photographic safari (which are incredibly expensive), expect your chances of capturing high-quality wildlife images to be limited. The average person will need to save up for an entire year to afford just one week on safari. Typically, your package will include a three-hour outing, twice a day. To sum that up, one week on safari might offer somewhere around 40 hours in which you could potentially capture hundreds of awe-inspiring wildlife shots. Unfortunately, however, it doesn't always quite work out like that.

Expect to spend half of the allotted hours driving whilst looking for new animals, and when do you find them, don't assume you're guaranteed to get the perfect shots that you had envisioned. Your subjects are wild creatures after all, with the freedom to do as they please. A journey of giraffe won't necessarily space themselves equally on a sunset horizon just because you''re expecting a handsome return on your investment. Other frustrating factors can include unfavourable lighting, poor vehicle positioning (good guides should be on top of this), and distracting surroundings. For your photo to really grab the viewers eye, the subject needs to pop out, and this can be hard to achieve when there is messy foliage or even other safari vehicles in shot. I once spent three days on safari in South Africa's beautiful Kruger National Park and didn't manage to get a single photo that I was happy with.

So here is the trick. Don't shell out thousands for a safari vacation. Instead, follow in my footsteps and sign up for an FGASA (Field Guides Association of Southern Africa) accredited nature guiding course. Not only did it cost me far less money than a package holiday, but I got to spend every day on a beautiful big five game reserve for two whole months! Furthermore, I gained a wealth of knowledge and practical skills thanks to the comprehensive training programme, and was later rewarded with a professional nature guiding license to boot!

The course entailed a great deal of hard work and studying, but it also afforded me the opportunity to spend lengthy periods of time each day with magnificent animals including lions, elephants, rhinos, leopards, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, hippos and numerous species of antelope. The time spent with them provided plenty of opportunities for capturing some of my favourite photographs to date. Other perks of the programme included gaining certifications in first aid, rifle handling, and off-road driving. Throw in a course on wine tasting and it really was a no-brainer.

The biggest challenge for most people is determining how to negotiate two months out of work. The truth is, you might have to pack your job in. Chasing this dream requires vast amounts of time, effort, and sacrifice. The plus side is that your newfound skills can help open the door to further opportunities. Since obtaining my guiding license, I have led numerous safaris across southern and eastern Africa which, in turn, has allowed me to further enhance my portfolio.

If you're not willing to take the plunge, or perhaps you have other commitments, it's worth mentioning that you don't necessarily have to go on safari (or to Africa for that matter) to capture meritorious wildlife images. Large mammals make for pretty amazing subjects, but during the time I spent training to become a guide, my eyes were suddenly opened to the plethora of wildlife that surrounds us in our everyday lives. Birds and insects are fairly easy to find and often make for equally interesting subjects as the animals you might find in the great wilderness. Some of my favourite photographs are of wildlife I found in local parks and even my own back garden!

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Camera tips:

If you want to achieve top-notch images, you'll first need to familiarise yourself with your camera and practice with the settings. I can't stress highly enough how important it is to do this before you head out on your wildlife adventure. When I first started out, I missed the chance to gather some amazing shots of great white sharks breaching the ocean surface because I hadn't yet learned how to adjust the camera's settings for fast moving subjects. Weather, climate, time of day (i.e. lighting), and the surrounding environment make every scene unique, so you'll need to have a good understanding of what your camera can offer, especially in terms of ISO, aperture, and shutter speed.

One suggestion that I usually make to fellow amateurs (and many photographers will label this blasphemy) is to switch to sports mode (if your camera has this feature) at times when your vehicle is moving. I advise this because every now and again, an animal - particularly elusive species such as leopards - may appear suddenly and have vanished behind thick vegetation before you've had the chance to stop and adjust your settings. Sports mode will allow you to get a fairly clean shot of the fast moving subject even if you might have to compensate with a grainy background. If the animal does decide to stick around, you can always switch back to manual mode and adjust your settings accordingly. This approach is best followed in areas with thick bush and isn't really necessary in open spaces.

For those who are still not confident using manual mode, I'd recommend using the aperture priority setting. Your camera's sensors should focus on the main subject in the foreground, leaving the background with a blurred effect. By selecting the appropriate ISO and shutter speed to suit the environmental conditions, your subject will really come alive. Note that this mode works best when the subject is relatively still.

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Editing tips:

Rarely do photographs capture all of the elements that made the actual scene so special. It is therefore necessary to become accustomed with editing software in order to transform your images into breathtaking works of art.

Play around with brightness, contrast, hues, and saturation to make your photograph all the more eye catching, and try to use similar settings throughout your whole portfolio as you begin to exhibit your own signature style.

If your photo features a particularly interesting subject, but something about the whole picture just doesn't look quite right, try converting into black and white. One of the biggest causes of busy looking photos is often the periphery colours that don't complement the main subject. As an example, you may have captured an incredible shot of an elephant in the open savannah, but a bright red car in the distance may draw too much attention and thus spoil the overall effect. If you happen to be well versed in Photoshop, you can always use this method to eliminate any unwanted features, but don't go too crazy with image manipulation.

Cropping can also play a major role in creating the perfect image as composition is extremely important. I can't tell you how many images I have initially looked over, but later found with a bit of clever cropping, I had a really beautiful photograph all along.

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General tips:

• Maintain a high shutter speed as animals are usually on the move.

• Think about the background and how you will frame the subject.

• Focus on the eyes as it helps the viewer to connect with the subject.

• Take advantage of the more favourable light conditions around sunrise and sunset.

• Photograph from a low position as it gives the subject greater presence and the increased distance from the background helps it to pop out.

• Always bring at least one spare battery and make sure you have enough space on your SD card. There is nothing more frustrating than missing out at the perfect moment because you've run out of power or memory.

• Shoot in RAW to get higher quality images that are easier to edit.

• Use Adobe Lightroom or another comprehensive photo editing software for image processing.

• Only exhibit your best work. I have taken literally tens of thousands of wildlife photos and have condensed them down to the select few I display on my website.

Happy snapping!