Living In the Forest with Elephants (LIFE)
Living In the Forest With Elephants (LIFE) - a sustainable tourism model LIFE is the foundation’s central project...
LIFE Elephant Heritage Area
Thailand
Living In the Forest with Elephants (LIFE) is dedicated to preserving the magnificent forest and caring for the rescued elephants.
Immerse yourself in this lush 90,000-acre rainforest by Living In the Forest with Elephants (LIFE), where rescued elephants roam free. Experience sustainable, ethical tourism and support a community dedicated to conservation.
Situated in over 90,000 acres of luscious protected rainforest near the border between Thailand and Myanmar, Living In the Forest with Elephants (LIFE) is dedicated to preserving the magnificent forest and caring for the rescued elephants that call it home.
The village is small with only around twenty households and it shares a stunning forest with 6 other villages. Without a source of income, people from this village were forced to sell their beloved elephants to the tourism industry. Thanks to the project the captive elephants have now been returned, roaming freely through the forests being checked on by their mahouts once a week or daily if they feel the need.
Stories
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Koo Nu's story
Koo Nu returned to his village to settle down with his wife and applied to begin apprenticing as...
Experiences
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LIFE mountain adventure
Be welcomed into a Karen community on this 4-day experience in the heart of the jungle near the...
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LIFE volunteering with elephants
Help out a small community with a big heart to protect priceless elephant habitat.
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Field course: Asian Elephants in Context
Asian Elephants in Context: Animal Behaviour and Conservation in Thailand is a 4 week field course.
Species & habitat
The Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), also known as the Asiatic elephant, is a species of elephant distributed throughout the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, from India in the west, Nepal in the north, Sumatra in the south, and to Borneo in the east (Wikipedia). The Asian elephant is the largest living land animal in Asia, and one of only three living species worldwide.
Threats
Listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 1986, the Asian elephant population has declined by at least 50 per cent over the last three elephant generations. It is primarily threatened by loss of habitat, habitat degradation, fragmentation and poaching.
In Thailand and other countries in Southeast Asia, it is common to find elephant riding experiences at tourist hotspots. Such trips are listed on prestigious travel websites and images of global tourists taking part are ubiquitous on social media. Sadly, this form of tourism encourages both animal cruelty and wildlife crime, which, in tandem with other factors, is driving the Asian elephant towards extinction.
Did you know?
- Our elephant Mokijue's name in the Karen language means Funny Leg, this is because her left leg has a slight deformity. This does not impede on her life or her ability to move around her forest home. She is the matriarch of the LIFE herd.
- Mokimae is the daughter of Mokijue and is protected and safe thanks to the project and work of the foundation. Her name in the Karen language means funny tail, due to a unique kink in her tail.
- Ya Bu is in his early thirties and was donated to MEF in 2019 by a group of dedicated monks who wanted to offer him a new life of peace in the forest. Released from a working life, he is free to forage all day and eating is his greatest pleasure!
- Mur Lah is the daughter of Mokijue and sister of Mokimae - she is the newest member of the 'LIFE' family. Her name in the Karen language means HOPE.
- We work with a unique safari-style model of elephant tourism in direct partnership with mahouts, empowering them with the tools they require to support their families and their elephants in their home village.
Supporters & assessors
Each Wildlife Heritage Area is assessed by a species or habitat expert from a reputable non-profit organisation or academic institution. The assessor represents a supporting organisation able to provide the advice, information, and contacts needed to complete the designation process.
Supported by World Animal Protection
