One of the saddest things about elephants in captivity is how often mothers and babies are torn away from each other. But this lucky family escaped that fate – and their rescue was captured in a stunning series of photographs.
Until recently, Apple and her daughter Princess lived at one of the many Thailand elephant camps that cater to tourists by offering elephant rides or selling elephants to be used at similar attractions.
The pair lived in a small enclosure, with Apple tied to her stall by a heavy chain. Princess had a similar metal cuff around her front foot.
Although they at least had the comfort of each other, that wouldn’t last long. Local rescue group Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT) learned that Princess had been put up for sale – at only 8 months old.
Elephant calves are completely dependent on their mothers for their first few years, and in the wild a female calf will stay with her mother for her entire life. Once sold, Princess would have faced a bitter life of captivity after being “broken in” through hunger, sleep-deprivation and physical abuse for use in Thailand’s tourism industry.
Fortunately, a generous donor stepped in and offered to cover the cost of transferring Apple and her little baby to the safety of the WFFT sanctuary. Rescuers arrived last week to relocate the elephants, receiving a kind greeting from the small family.
