Elephant Rescued From Life in the Tourism Industry Greeted Like an Old Friend in Her Sanctuary Home

Elephant Nature Park (ENP) is a large animal sanctuary located in Chai Mai, Northern Thailand that takes in elephants who have been the victim of Thailand’s many cruel elephant fueled industries. For old and injured elephants like Jai Dee and Mee Sook, the kind people at ENP are their only hope for rescue.

Mee Sook, who was most likely stolen from her mother at an early age, spent the majority of her life giving rides to tourists in southern Thailand. Despite her age and injuries, she was forced to work every day in the searing heat, with a barbed chain around her leg. Luckily for her, she was found by the people at ENP and they were able to arrange her rescue.

Rescuing an elephant is never an easy thing, but the good folks at ENP have rescued so many elephants that they are quickly becoming pros.

After 40 long hours in the back of a truck, she arrived at the animal sanctuary and was taken to a shaded corral, where she was greeted by Jai Dee, another rescued elephant.

These graceful and highly intelligent animals are reported to have a complex social structure and incredible memories. They may also have impeccable manners, as we see in this video, where Jai Dee politely extend her trunk to welcome the newcomer. Then, in a moment of pure excitement, they clearly recognize each other, and go in for a big hug! Although it is as of yet unclear to ENP, it seems that Jai Dee and Mee Sok might have worked together in the past – or they simply recognized the shared suffering they had each experienced in their lives and instantly bonded. Either way, there is no denying the amazing empathy and joy they show for one another in this video.

This heartwarming video is proof positive that elephants do have feelings and may even remember their friends, just like people. It is impossible to say when these two elephants met or what experiences they shared. But it is clear that the shared experience will be the foundation of a new friendship, as these two ladies enjoy their retirement together at ENP.

If you would like to Donate to Elephant Nature Park, visit their website of click here.

All image source: Elephant Nature Park