One of the projects we support in Thailand is the ChangChill elephant sanctuary in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The elephants of ChangChill have lived most of their lives in the logging industry in the forests of northern Thailand or as entertainment in the Thai tourism industry.

In 2007, the sanctuary took a big and significant step when it became the first fully elephant-friendly sanctuary in Thailand with the support of World Animal Protection.

With the transformation of the sanctuary came a change of name from “Happy Elephant Care Valley” to ChangChill, which means “relaxed elephants”. And that’s precisely what you get here.

The elephants now live under conditions that ensure their highest possible welfare based on nutrition, environment, health, behaviour – and a healthy mental state as a result.

Human contact is kept to a minimum, and the animals live as naturally as possible. They are allowed to roam freely, so that they can graze, take dust and mud baths and socialise with one another just as they would in the wild.

As a visitor, you observe the animals from a respectful, safe distance, and you see them expressing their natural behaviour on their own terms.