Age: 90+

Meaning of name: Jasmin

Personality:

Malee is a kind and gentle elephant. She takes her time eating and picks out the best parts. She is shy and reserved. She enjoys holding and swishing around a branch in her trunk.

History:

Malee has had babies in the past, though we do not know their whereabouts. She was logging in Thailand when a log hit her and she fractured her left rear leg. Her previous owner found her in Kanchanaburi province. Malee has no teeth anymore and she is blind.

Distinguishing features:

Malee is a tall and skinny elephant that weighs approximately 2,450 kilograms. You will often spot her with a branch in her trunk, and with her hind legs crossed. The latter is due to the injury she sustained in the logging industry.

Age: 60+ years old

Meaning of name: Good girl 

Personality:

Khun is still settling in. She was a bit unpredictable when she first came to live with us, but has begun to adjust to her new life. She’s an elephant with a very strong personality;  so much so that she can challenge our other elephants at times. She is very kind to Kham Phaeng and is creating a friendship with her. Khun loves mud baths!

History:

She spent 11 years in a trekking camp in Pattaya as a riding elephant, often chained during rest and isolated from other elephants. Prior to that, Khun worked in the logging industry, carrying heavy loads. Her diet included sharp pineapple plants, which may have caused long-term damage to her throat. She had a baby, but unfortunately, he fell into a river, and with no one there to help, she was unable to save him.

Distinguishing features:

Khun has a lot of hair on her head. She is about the same size as Kham Phaeng. She is often found leaning her head against a tree and enjoys wearing sticky rice as much as eating it.

Age: 60+ (we think she is on the older side)

Meaning of name: Cherished/Beloved one

Personality:

Kham Phaeng is a very curious and calm elephant. She loves walking around to discover the area, she is very playful and has an independent spirit. Even though she has some problems with her hips, she walks very fast and her mahout has trouble keeping up! Before coming she had never been in a river and therefore was scared to bathe during her first month, but nowadays she feels confident enough to go in by herself.

History:

Kham Phaeng was previously a riding elephant at a trekking camp in Pattaya, where she spent most of her days chained and carrying tourists with a heavy chair on her back. For many years she had little contact with other elephants and was unable to lie down and rest properly.

She was rescued from a trekking camp on the 12th of December 2023. When she arrived at Somboon, she was underfed and deeply traumatized. Over time she has begun to recover and is learning that she no longer needs to depend on tourists for food.

Today, Kham Phaeng is slowly healing and starting to enjoy a life of safety, care, and freedom.

Distinguishing features:

Kham Phaeng is a kind, tall and skinny elephant with an imposing skull and is missing one eye. She has a kind face and long legs that allow her to walk very fast. Her tail is long and full of hair. She is best friends with Malee and you can often find the two of them together. It’s incredible to watch her enjoy her new life.

Age: 50+

Meaning of name: Blessing

Personality:

Boon Mee is a kind and curious elephant. She was the first elephant to move to our new location in Sai Yok, where she loves eating all the wild plants – especially bamboo. She’s often seen carrying food with her, making sure she never runs out of a snack.

History:

Boon Mee previously lived at a trekking camp in Pattaya with her mahout, who was also her owner (this is uncommon). He truly cared for her, and when he decided to retire, he wanted to give Boon Mee the best retirement possible.

Distinguishing features:

Boon Mee has long, draped ears with some damage on the lower part of her right ear. She also has fluffy hairs on her head and beneath her lower lip, giving her a very distinctive appearance.