by Antoinette Vande Water (Author)
Street elephants are a common sight in Thailand. Some carry tourists on their backs, but most spend their days begging for food or money, urged on by their mahouts - their grooms and riders. The animals are often undernourished, in bad health, sleep next to garbage dumps, and walk along overcrowdedhighways with wounded feet.
In the green pastures of the Elephant Nature Park, a sanctuary in northern Thailand, traumatized elephants can recover and begin to enjoy life. Antointette van de Water worked as a volunteer in this park and, with the dream of getting every elephant off the street, started the a rescue project.
The Great Elephant Escape describes the liberation of two street elephants and their journey to the Elephant Nature Park. It is a breathtaking adventure through the world of flirtatious elephant traders, poor villagers, well-wishing monks, and angry animal-rights advocates.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 154
Publisher: Silkworm Books
Published: 01 Apr 2009
ISBN 10: 9749511646
ISBN 13: 9789749511640
Book Overview: Describes the liberation of two street elephants and their journey to the Elephant Nature Park through the world of elephant traders, poor villagers, well-wishing monks, and angry animal-rights advocates
This delightful, easy-reading book, The Great Elephant Escape, is the story of that dream made real. As we live the adventure with Antoinette, we learn that bringing elephants home to their rightful place in a natural habitat is not so easy. . . . Words don't convey the full sensual and poignant experience of this comment, but you can't help but want to be a part of it. And you can.
* Chiangmai Mail *Antoinette van de Water is the founder of Bring the Elephants Home, an organization working to create a better future for Thai elephants. Liesbeth Sluiter is a journalist and photographer based in the Netherlands.