Elephants are magnificent, perceptive animals that can form complex social ties and strong emotional bonds. However, individuals frequently endure unspeakable brutality and exploitation in spite of their complicated requirements. Grandma Somboon and other captive elephants have been utilized for work or amusement for years. They are shackled and paraded about like circus props. Thankfully, opinions against these practices are starting to change, despite how horrifying it is that they still occur.
Today, we’d like to tell you the touching tale of Grandma Somboon, an elephant whose suffering is finally coming to an end because of the unwavering work of groups like Thailand’s Save Elephant Foundation. Let’s concentrate on the bright side of her story, which starts with cruelty and terror, as she embarks on a new phase of her life that will be characterized by freedom, rest, and care.
Grandma Somboon lost her life when she was quite young. She spent more than 80 years of her life working in the logging and tourism industries after being abducted from her natural home as a calf. She was removed from her family and forced to live in captivity for decades, acting in shows, begging on the streets, and giving rides to visitors. She was forced to work nonstop, paraded around, and denied the one thing that all living things are entitled to: freedom.
Her tale is hardly the only one. Similar tragedies befall many elephants, whose souls are destroyed by human avarice and the need to utilize them for work and pleasure. The harsh truth is that visitors who pay for elephant rides and performances unwittingly contribute to this cycle of misery and the ongoing mistreatment of these amazing creatures.
Grandma Somboon’s predicament was brought to the attention of Thailand’s Save Elephant Foundation in January. Seeing how urgent her condition was, they acted quickly to save the old elephant. “It’s time for Grandma to be well cared for and allowed to rest,” they posted on their Facebook page. In order to provide Somboon with the care and tranquility she so much needed, the crew set out to deliver her to her rightful home.
After a difficult rescue, they were able to move Somboon, who is now 87 years old, to the Elephant Nature Park refuge in January. It was evident when they arrived that her body had suffered for a lifetime. In addition to being dangerously dehydrated, she was malnourished, toothless, and had neglected skin. The fact that she was safe now, unencumbered by the shackles that had held her for so long, was more significant than these physical difficulties.
It frequently takes weeks for an elephant like Somboon to feel secure enough to lie down after arriving at the sanctuary. Many elephants find it difficult to adapt to their new environment because they are still troubled by trauma and mistrust. Somboon, however, disregarded these assumptions. She found the sand pile ready for her and went to bed peacefully, exhausted from the long travel and the horrors of her past. She was able to relax her tired body for the first time in her life.
This moment of relaxation was a huge relief for an elephant that had been standing her entire life, shackled to concrete floors, and made to labor without breaks. When forced to stand on harsh surfaces for extended periods of time, elephants—especially older ones like Somboon—frequently find it difficult to sleep while lying down. Somboon had never before enjoyed the luxury of smooth sand and the ability to lie down, and it was obvious that she valued it greatly.
It was difficult for Somboon to get back on her feet after her extended period of rest. After decades of maltreatment, her body was frail, and she needed some time to get used to her new surroundings. However, Somboon started to get better under the sanctuary staff’s care and assistance. Her progress has surpassed all expectations, despite the rescue team’s uncertainty about how she would adapt to her new existence. Every rescued elephant at the sanctuary is given the best care possible, including wholesome food, clean water, and cozy sand beds where they may unwind and feel secure.
Although Somboon still needs care and attention for a large portion of the day, she is improving daily. Her attitude has changed—she is no longer responsible for the work, and for the first time in decades, she is given the respect she merits. As she begins to feel the love and care she was never given, the burden of her past is gradually being removed
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The tale of Somboon is one of tenacity and optimism. She has found a new lease on life at the Elephant Nature Park sanctuary, where she is free to just be an elephant, despite the abuse she suffered. She has long been denied peace, but today she can finally enjoy the company of other elephants.
Although she is still recovering, each step she takes forward is evidence of these amazing animals’ strength. Somboon’s story serves as a potent reminder of the value of elephant protection and making sure that future generations of elephants do not have to endure the same hardship as she recovers. In order to improve the lives of elephants and work toward a time when they won’t have to endure suffering in captivity, we must keep supporting groups like the Save Elephant Foundation.
Somboon’s rescue is a touching illustration of what may happen when we decide to act with kindness. Although her journey starts out cruelly, it ends with freedom and hope. Elephants, like all other species, should be allowed to live in their natural environments without being exploited or harmed. This must be understood. We can all do our part to ensure that elephants aren’t used for work or paraded around as circus accessories. More elephants like Somboon can be given the freedom and attention they need if we support sanctuaries and spread awareness.
Visit the website of the Save Elephant Foundation to find out more about their efforts to improve the lives of elephants in danger and how you can help. Together, we can strive toward a time when elephants are allowed to roam freely and flourish in the wild rather than being shackled.