The magazine of the art-form of the photo-essay
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Feb 2016 back issue
by Lee Craker
In 2013 I travelled to northern Thailand to study the plight of the Asian elephant. What I
found is an industry fuelled by greed and funded by tourism with little regard for the future
of this noble animal. I also found dedicated people committed to helping the endangered
elephants.
This book came to be out of a request from one of Thailand’s most prominent elephant
activists, Lek Chailert, who when asked what could be done to save the elephants of
Thailand, said, “Please educate people”. This cry for education was shared by other
prominent elephant activists in Thailand who played a large part in the research and
development of this book, I am indebted to John Roberts, Dan Bucknell, Carol Stevenson
and many others who are fighting for the elephants in Thailand and around the world.
The Sun rises at Anantara's Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Camp near the Golden Triangle, Chiang Rai, Thailand.
Elephant portrait in the early morning fog at Anantara's Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Camp near the Golden
Triangle, Chiang Rai, Thailand.
A mahout waits for his elephant at Elephant Nature Park
in Chiang Rai, Thailand.
An elephant with a heavy seat attached waits to give
tourists rides at Maesa Elephant Camp in Chiang Mai.
Elephant and mahout at Anantara's Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Camp near the Golden Triangle, Chiang Rai,
Thailand.
A mahout giving a morning bath to a happy elephant at Anantara's Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Camp near the
Golden Triangle, Chiang Rai, Thailand.
A mahout brings elephants to the river for their morning bath at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort,
near Chiang Rai, Thailand.
Elephant eye at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort, near Chiang Rai, Thailand.
A mahout and elephant in the river at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort, near Chiang Rai, Thailand.
Mahouts give elephants a morning bath at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort, near Chiang Rai,
Thailand.
Elephant and early morning fog at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort, near Chiang Rai, Thailand.
Elephant and and mahout in the early morning fog at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort, near Chiang
Rai, Thailand.
A mahout, dogs and elephant at Elephant Nature Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Lek Chailert sits with her elephants at Elephant Nature Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Lek Chailert with one of her elephants at Elephant Nature Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Mahout painting. A Mahout teaches an elephant to follow non verbal ear tug commands so that it will appear to tourists
that the elephant is able to paint, at Maesa Elephant Camp in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Tourists ride an elephant at Maesa Elephant Camp in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
A heavy seat used to give tourists rides, bull hook and hat await a mahout at Maesa Elephant Camp in Chiang Mai,
Thailand.
A street begging baby elephant at a mall in northern Thailand. Baby elephants are used to beg for food the mahouts
sell because they are cute. Tourists in Thailand are usually unaware of the horrific process used to capture, break and
train a baby elephant.
