Further to my recent volunteer stay at the WILDLIFE SOS Elephant Conservation & Care Centre (ECCC) in India where I helped care for and observed elephants rescued from lives of abuse in tourism, begging & festivals, I have decided to walk 5500km on the UK National Trails through 2024/ 25 to raise vital funds for their ongoing care.

My 5500km WALK4ELEPHANTS aims to highlight the ENDLESS PAIN and SUFFERING elephants endure in the name of TOURISM and ENTERTAINMENT. Elephants footpads are not designed to endure the intense heat of walking on hot tarmac, or to resist rusted nails, shards of broken glasses, sharp stones, pebbles and metal scraps from puncturing and entering them.

I was privileged to also visit the Wildlife SOS ELEPHANT HOSPITAL, India's first, and I was in awe ! Whilst the facility is itself truly impressive, it is the staff who make such positive change to the elephant's lives; their expertise is second to none, and their dedication and devotion to helping the elephants in their care is humbling.

Post rescue, thin injured footpads require ongoing intensive care and treatment. This primarily includes a combination of medicated foot baths, topical application of medication and covering with elephant booties along with laser therapy massages which expedite healing at a cellular level especially in cases of arthritis (which is common).

https://refusetoride.org

Please HELP me to HELP these majestic sentient animals by donating to my fundraiser.

Thank you ❤️

Shaz x

wildlifesos.org

My challenges …

Cleveland Way (175 km)

Cotswold Way (164 km)

Glyndwr’s Way (217 km)

Great Glen Way (127 km)

West Highland Way (155 km)

Southern Upland Way (344 km)

North Downs Way (210 km)

Offa’s Dyke Path (285 km)

Peddars Way/Norfolk Coast Path (214 km)

Pembrokeshire Coast Path (290 km)

Pennine Way (410 km)

South Downs Way (161 km)

Thames Path (298 km)

Hadrians Wall (135 km)

South West Coast Path (1014 km)

Speyside Way (137 km)

Yorkshire Wolds Way (127 km)

COMPLETED The Ridgeway (140 km) Overton Hill to Ivinghoe Beacon

COMPLETED The Ridgeway (140 km) Ivinghoe Beacon to Overton Hill

The England Coast Path (3000km)

Ben Nevis - elevation 1345 metres

Snowdon

Skafell Pike

Yorkshire 3 peaks

COMPLETED Pen Y Fan - Brecon Beacons

COMPLETED Fan Fawr - Brecon Beacons

COMPLETED Annapurna Circuit 170km elevation 5419m

More to be added …😊

THREATS TO ASIAN ELEPHANTS

The Asian elephant is an ‘endangered’ species according to the IUCN Red List. There are various reasons for the rapid decline of the elephant population.

No room to roam: habitat loss and fragmentation is the greatest threat to wild Asian Elephants. Rapid increase in industrialization and human development projects are clearing their habitat, pushing the elephants to less suitable environments.

Human-elephant conflict: due to shrinking habitats, elephants are forced to stray into human settlements in search of food and water which sometimes results in damage to property or even human lives. Retaliation by the people affected by these incidents often result in killing of these elephants.

Poaching: the international trade in elephant body parts continues to contribute to the poaching of elephants.

Illegal trafficking and capturing of young elephants: elephant calves are separated from their mother and poached from the wild to be used in entertainment industries such as circuses, weddings, processions and even temples. In the process, mothers are usually killed attempting to protect their young.