In memory of baby elephant Star (18 Sep 1997 to 24 May 2010), Boon Lott's Elephant Sanctuary (BLES) is: to build a Star Medical Clinic for their and the neighbouring village elephants; b) expand land; and c) create fencing to allow the elephants to roam free within the fenced boundaries.
BLES, based in Sukhothai, Thailand has a mission to protect abused elephants by saving them from tree logging and street begging including: a) support and advice to other local elephant owners; b) commitment to the community by providing jobs, housing and education to the mahouts about elephants and their environment; c) investigation into reported abused elephant sightings and arranging for their retirement to BLES.
BLES strive to secure land through purchase where the land has natural
elephant food supply and BLES also grow crops to aid the elephants’ diet.
Medical elephant husbandry facilities are few and those are located in the northern and southern regions, offering little help to central Thailand. BLES is strategically located to have an on-site clinic, but plans to host a rotation of veterinary professionals and students to study elephant care and medicine halted because BLES do not have £80,000 for building cost. The BLES clinic will be used by the BLES elephants as well as neighbouring elephants.
BLES website: www.blesele.org/katherines-journal
In Memory of Star facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/In-memory-of-Little-Star/122689027761563?ref=ts
Below is Carol Buckley's blog re her visit to BLES. Carol was founder of the first biggest elephant sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tennessee, USA. -----
"June 14, 2010 - At the break of dawn I left a little piece of heaven called Boon Lott’s Elephant Sanctuary. Completely removed from the real world, this elephant paradise is a ray of hope for Asian elephants. I am thankful that I decided to stay a few days because that is the only way to take in everything that is Boon Lott’s.
Inspired by the short life and death of a brave baby elephant named Boon Lott, this sanctuary has done something no other has. What they have created is a model for others to imitate and honestly I hope many do.
It seems that it takes an “outsider” to break all the rules. It also appears that women are willing to work outside the box for elephant welfare. Thank goodness! The founders of Boon Lott’s share a love of elephants; one, a lifetime mahout, the other an English woman who championed for a baby elephant named Boon Lott. Together they are making a mark on the story which is elephant. Their future is bright.
The facilities are designed with the elephant’s welfare and comfort in mind. Well designed, functional, artistic, and meticulously spotless. Kat and Anon have dedicated their lives and every effort of everyday to elephants. The family atmosphere includes not only Kat, Anon and their children but the mahouts, their families, and the elephants they have built their lives around. All of the elephants are rescues with staggering stories to tell.
Even though Kat and Anon allow visitors an intimate perspective into the lives of the elephants, they do not exploit the elephants to do so. No rides are offered. The visitors are allowed to observe the elephants as they go about their day from dawn to dusk; starting with a morning bath followed by a long walk to grazing and foraging habitat, afternoon swim time, followed again by another excursion to the forest where the elephants are tethered for the overnight. The events of the day are not designed for the visitor, they are the elephant’s daily activities and the visitor is permitted to observe.
The Sanctuary is young, not five years old yet and already they are home to ten rescued elephants. The goal is to expand land holdings so that areas can be fenced, making it possible to release the elephants tether-free overnight. Fencing is a must in order to accomplish this goal in order to insure the elephant’s safety.
Their challenges are many but Kat and Anon have beaten the odds so far, creating a model sanctuary. I am honored to know these two amazing people and the talented team of forward thinking mahouts and their families that make Boon Lott’s the special place that it is. The elephants that call Boon Lott’s home are lucky elephants indeed.
I have high hopes for Kat and Anon. Much pressure will be on them over the next many years, to continue what they have started. Blazing this trail is hard but the progress that has already been made is astonishing. I know this team and the elephants they care for will help change the face of elephant management in Thailand."
Source: Carol Buckley's Elevisions website: www.carolbuckley.com/elevisions
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