Dok Geaw, a young elephant who tragically lost his mother at only four months old, has found a loving new family at Elephant Nature Park (ENP) in Thailand.
After his mother, a logging elephant was injured during his birth and later died from being forced back into work, Dok Geaw was left orphaned and in need of care.
Thankfully, elephant rescuer Khun Kanjana Silpa-Archa from the Thai Elephant Conservation Center stepped in to help.
Initially, she paired Dok Geaw with Sing Kon, a nurturing elephant who nursed him beside his mother.
However, when Sing Kon became pregnant, it was no longer safe for her to care for Dok Geaw, leaving him alone again.
Recognizing that Dok Geaw needed a family, Khun Kanjana arranged to bring the nearly 2-year-old elephant to ENP.
Upon his arrival, the other elephants at the park enthusiastically welcomed him, running to greet their new family member. “Welcome Dok Geaw to our herd,” wrote Lek Chailert, founder of ENP, on the park’s website.
Dok Geaw is now settling into life at ENP, interacting with different groups of elephants who have “offered” to adopt him.
Recent photos show him playing with another young elephant and enjoying time in a sand pile.
Sadly, the circumstances faced by Dok Geaw and his mother are all too familiar in Thailand and around the world, with many elephants subjected to harsh conditions and abuse in the logging and tourism industries. However, Dok Geaw has found a haven at ENP, where he can live a happy and protected life.
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