Thursday, 14 August 2025

World Elephant Day

Rachel PAYNE (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (09:52): Tuesday was World Elephant Day, when we raise awareness about the urgent challenges facing elephants and the need to protect them. I sponsor a magnificent Thai elephant, and her name is Jokia. She now lives at the Elephant Nature Park just outside Chiang Mai. It is elephant paradise, but Jokia’s former life was not. She was forced to work in the illegal logging trade for most of her life. She was even forced to work throughout her pregnancy, and when she was in labour with her calf, it was tragically crushed to death by the logs that she was forced to move. Jokia was heartbroken at this traumatic incident and could not be controlled, so they continued to break her spirit. They beat her and blinded her in an attempt to force her back to work.

Thankfully, Thai conservationist and activist Lek Chailert, who I have had the honour of recently meeting, has dedicated her life to protecting and rescuing Asian elephants. She rescued Jokia, who now lives a full and happy life at the park. Jokia has made connections and has become a nanny to four-year-old baby Lek Lek, which helps her to heal. Lek calls for an end to the violence and cruelty many elephants are put through.

If you have interacted with an elephant that has chains around its neck and legs, is being ridden or bathed by tourists, no doubt this elephant is vulnerable and in controlled cruelty. To be this tame, an elephant’s spirit has to be broken. I will always speak out against elephant cruelty and educate others to not support any activities that exploit these majestic animals.