What will I be doing?
The centre operates as a sanctuary to abused, neglected or injured animals. Volunteers work alongside local staff to care for nearly 20 Asian elephants. Each day will differ and Elephant Care volunteer tasks may include:
- Feeding and giving water to the elephants
- Help with the cleaning of the enclosures
- Hosing down and washing the elephants
- Harvesting and collecting food from local farms – pineapple trees, bananas trees etc.
- Creating enrichments for the elephants
- Looking after other domesticated animals on site
In addition to the above tasks, volunteers may also be involved in the construction or maintenance of enclosures and cleaning or developing the centre grounds / farmland.
Volunteers will also be allocated other duties which are shared between all volunteers. This includes caring for the rescued dogs and cats on site. For dogs in particular this means helping on bath days, feeding and removing ticks – please be prepared for dogs with poor skin conditions which is common in Thailand. You may also be required to assist with domestic duties and housekeeping at the centre.
There are always tasks to be done on site and so if you want more work, make sure you ask! If you have a specific skill or interest let the team know as they may have jobs on their long term ‘to-do’ list for you.
Why are volunteers needed?
Whilst each elephant is cared for by a dedicated mahout, they are in need of assistance with their tasks. The local staff are often over-stretched with daily care tasks and so the extra man-power from volunteers allow them to focus on long term plans. Additionally volunteers can offer contribute creatively and help to design enrichments for the elephants.
