Chaba was born in a small concrete corral at a riding center for elephants in Chiang Mai, Thailand. BunMa, her mother, was compelled to perform daily demonstrations for tourists, such as riding a bike, drawing portraits, and performing circus tricks. This would have been Chaba’s fate as well if the Save Elephant Foundation had not intervened.
“When our team learned about the dilemma of Chaba and her mother, BunMa, we went to the camp to see how we could rescue them,” Ry Emmerson, project director of the Save Elephant Foundation, told The Dodo. “We found the mother and child in a tiny concrete box with no enrichment, with the mother swinging on a short chain.” They both required immediate medical attention because it was clear that they were in poor health.
The Save Elephant Foundation’s founder arranged the family’s release and rescued them in August. The rescuers intended to bring them by truck to Elephant Nature Park (ENP), but BunMa was afraid of being separated from her baby and refused to board the vehicle.
After she finished her dessert, Chaba got her first bath. Everyone was taken aback by the 4-month-old elephant’s unabashed happiness. Nothing, though, makes Chaba happier than her modest pool.
She enjoys splashing and playing in the water. Mom leaves while she is playing so that she can relax. She is developing her identity and learning a lot.
