This is part of Traveling in Our Bodies, a four-part series that reflects on how women's bodies influence their movement through the world.
07.11.2024 - 12:15 / travelandleisure.com
I encountered my first elephant when I was eight years old, while visiting my grandparents in Bangkok. Back in the 1980s, it was common to see the animals roaming the streets, begging for food in the company of their mahouts, or handlers. I would grab some fruit from my grandmother’s kitchen to secretly feed these majestic giants. I remember being awestruck when one scooped up a whole watermelon from my hands and crushed it effortlessly.
Marisa Marchitelli
The mystique surrounding elephants has been ingrained in Thai culture for centuries. White elephants, in particular, have been considered symbols of wisdom, power, and good fortune since the birth of the Buddha; legend has it that the Buddha’s mother dreamed that a white elephant gave her a lotus flower on the eve of his birth. In the 16th century, the kings of Siam rode into battle on elephants. And later, the animal became a symbol of power: the more elephants one had, the higher one’s status. The beloved creatures were even featured on Thailand’s flag for the better part of the 1800s.
Elephants are protected by law, and the country has 69 reserves created especially for the now endangered species. While Thailand had about 50,000 Asian elephants in 1950, there are only 3,500 alive today — most found in sanctuaries and national parks.
Last May, I drove to the Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary, in the western province of Rabam, to learn more about these creatures. Together with the neighboring Thung Yai Wildlife Sanctuary, it’s part of a protected area of more than 1.5 million acres and is home to more elephants than anywhere else the kingdom.
“The government is taking conservation very seriously by observing levels of protective infrastructure and requirements for entry,” said Coke Smith, a wildlife photographer who accompanied me and my guide, Boonloed Thainchang. In 1991, following a series of poaching incidents, the combined sanctuaries became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
To explore the park, Smith, Thainchang, and I hopped on the back of a pickup and ventured into the sanctuary in search of elephants, as well as wild boar, deer, bears, tigers, and banteng, an endangered species of wild cattle. Anyone can drive into the area, but a guide is required to visit the three observation towers.
We started at the first tower, which was covered in a black tarp so the animals couldn’t see us. Almost immediately, we saw a herd of about 25 banteng. They were peacefully grazing on grass and taking sips of water from a stream, unaware of our presence.
After returning to the pickup, I spotted a male elephant in a dense patch of forest no more than 100 feet away. I was thrilled when the animal turned his gaze toward us and made what felt like direct eye
This is part of Traveling in Our Bodies, a four-part series that reflects on how women's bodies influence their movement through the world.
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