Elephants are majestic, smart, and warm animals that people continue to take advantage of. In Thailand, due to the tourism and logging industry, the elephant population has severely dropped, and those who still are around endure severe cruelty.
Such is the story of Mare Noi, an elephant that lived in chains for 41 long years. Besides logging, Mare Noi was also forcefully bred, and though we will never know the true extent of her abuse, it is finally her time to experience true freedom.
Mare Noi translates as ‘Little Mother.’ Despite what her sweet name might entail, her life was far from it as she was used for logging and forced breeding
Image credits: blesele
Due to her fame in the community, a notorious elephant breeder sought to buy Mare Noi from her owner, but Katherine stepped in and made it her mission to rescue the elephant
Bored Panda reached out to Katherine, the founder of BLES. We asked her to share what challenges they had to face when rescuing and transitioning Mare Noi to the sanctuary.
Katherine responded: “The biggest challenge was raising the necessary funds in a timely manner. We faced a tight deadline, but thanks to the generous support from BLES supporters around the world, we secured the funds needed in less than 24 hours.”
Katherine is a founder of Boon Lotts Elephant Sanctuary (BLES), a home for rescued and retired elephants
Image credits: blesele