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Benefits For Our Elephants
(Photo by Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation)
Every elephant attending the King's Cup Elephant Polo tournament has a unique microchip number which is required by law and means that Thai authorities know the animal was not taken from the wild.
The elephants receive no specific training to play polo. In addition, only young elephants who like to run around and enjoy themselves participate in the tournament. Such elephants tend to easily pick up the game (some better than others!) and actually enjoy themselves. Each elephant only plays two games a day - we don't want our elephants to get tired so they only play for 28 minutes each day compared to working 10 hours a night on the streets or 5 hours a day in a trekking camp.
Young elephants enjoy running around and playing games - and at the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation we have an area for the young elephants to play, which they'll do for hours at a time, participating in possession games with tyres and such.
High energy food is essential for all 'ele-athletes' and each elephant participating in the tournament is fed 20 stems of bananas, 50 sticks of sugarcane and 10 pineapple plants per day, in addition to being provided with veterinary and vitamin supplements.
The tournament's largest expense is maintaining and pampering the elephants -- this is on top of the money raised at the Gala Dinner which is used for more strategic projects that benefit all of Thailand's elephants.
An elephant that does not enjoy elephant polo is immediately retired and she still gets to keep her bonuses as this is usually the only time of the year they receive regular veterinary checkups, vitamin supplements and a chance to rest in natural surroundings.
One reason we have chosen the Suriyothai Army Camp is because the surrounding natural forest is a great place for elephants. Our main concern is to take these elephants off the busy streets and tourist areas and let them be elephants for at least two weeks a year.
Each elephant receives a veterinary check before she's declared fit to play -- those that fail don't get sent home, they just get prescribed rest; something often not possible throughout the rest of the year.
WE AIM TO MAKE THIS AS MUCH OF A HOLIDAY
FOR THE ELEPHANTS AS IT IS FOR OUR GUESTS
FOR THE ELEPHANTS AS IT IS FOR OUR GUESTS
-- Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation
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