THAILAND / Global Vision International
Provide daily care for a new mother and her calf, and run long term health studies on elephants in the program. For 3, 6, 9, or 12 month placements interns assist managing a new elephant sanctuary and help develop innovative new eco-tourism projects. Living and working in a traditional Karen village in the mountains of northern Thailand, interns on this project get a unique opportunity to learn about living with elephants in the forest from a community that’s been keeping elephants for hundreds of years. Depending on your interests, you can assist elephant behavior studies, document medicinal plants, teach English in the village school, and/or help find new livelihoods for the villagers so they don’t have to return to working in the circus with their elephants.
How this program makes a difference
The practices of elephant street begging and circus performing significantly reduce the life expectancy of this endangered species, diminishes their high cultural importance, and place individuals in inhumane living conditions. We are creating a new future for the species, and bringing new hope to elephants with tragic pasts. This project promotes more ethical and sustainable elephant management. Interns provide basic care and see that the elephants’ social needs are met. We are helping local communities to establish a new sanctuary for these rescued elephants, where they can live out their days as naturally as possible. A wild release program is underway. Interns are supporting a Thai elephant specialist’s veterinary research and reintroduction program. You will see the profound difference this program is making on the lives of each elephant and the people involved.
For more information and to apply: http://www.gvi.co.uk/projects/asia/thailand/thailand-elephants-internship/home
www.gvi.co.uk
info@gviworld.com
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