Mare Noi had been held captive in Thailand for nearly her entire life. Just this week, we were able to watch her take her first steps without chains – yes it’s been 41 years.
Check this out on TikTok captured on video by Aaron Jackson who has been documenting the rescue of elephants.
At the Thai’s Boon Lott Elephant Sanctuary, staff and volunteers care for retired elephants and allow these peaceful and magnificent animals to interact with each other in their forest sanctuary. Just moments after Mare Noi arrived, she was already reaching and grabbing for bundles of leaves.
Little did she know, she was about to begin life on her terms. She could lift up her head and watch the clouds in the sky. She can roam around the forest with no one hitting her; she is finally free. Her new mahoot and mini mahoot – Boo Long and Luke are helping her to adjust to life. According to the organization’s Facebook page, she has already won the hearts of the entire crew:
she is so trusting, sweet, curious and affectionate
Boo Long has been an integral member of the sanctuary team for more than 10 years. He has helped to manage some of the most dangerous elephants, but shows love and respect for every animal that he meets. He will be the primary care person for Mare Noi and will be teaching Luke the skills needed to help these beautiful animals adjust to their new lives and finally find out how freedom tastes.
Mare Noi is in her 40s; her name translates as “Little Mother.” For so many years, Mare Noi suffered silently:
Ever since she was thought old enough to reproduce, Mare Noi was repeatedly violated. Chained up by all four legs and forced to stand still while a bull mounted her, was something she quickly had to learn to submit to.
Her owners were desperate for Mare Noi to produce calves and subjected her to forced breeding – a traumatic experience for both the male and female elephants involved.
Mare Noi had been pregnant three times and each time either miscarried or the calf died shortly after birth. It had been the elephant’s owner who recently asked the sanctuary if they wanted to compete in the pricing as the elephant was soon to be sold again to be bred.
Panicked and stressed, Katherine reached out to Aaron Jackson from Planting Peace – a US-based non-profit, and Calum Von Moger, who holds the title of Mr Universe 2011, 2014, and 2015! After hearing Mare Noi’s heartwrenching story, they dropped everything and flew straight to Thailand to help us save her.
The funds needed were successfully raised in less than 24 hours and Mare Noi was relocated to BLES without hesitation.
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