Until the mid-1980's elephants were used as machinery in the very lucrative logging industry across Thailand. These incredible animals dragged tonnes of felled tree's from the forests and jungles to the trucks that ferried them to the mills. But in the mid 1980's logging was outlawed across Thailand and these elephants became redundant.

As a 3 tonne elephant is an extremely expensive 'pet' many of their owners, known as 'Ma-hoot's' were forced to sell their elephants to street-hawkers, tourist resorts and circus's as just putting food on the family table was difficult enough.

However there are some communities who insisted on keeping their 'pets' as they had become 'one of the family' and their owners couldn't bare to part with them, doing what they could to forage enough food to keep their elephant healthy and strong.

One such community is Baan Tha-Thit in northern Surin province. Home to over 30 elephants, all of whom eat upwards of 250kgs of food each day, these guys can only keep their animals safe, healthy and loved with the help of organisations such as ours.