The Surin Project

General Info

Elephant Nature Foundation is a non-profit organization which advocates and acts on behalf of the rights of Asian elephants in Thailand.

There are over 300 elephants registered in the Surin province and the vast majority of them are trapped in the unfortunate trade of street begging. This is a terrible life for elephants who require thousands of pounds of fresh vegetables and clean water daily. Street begging reduces an elephant’s life expectancy by at least 50%. Despite differences in opinion on other matters, all elephant conservation organizations agree that street begging is wrong.

The Surin government has approached Elephant Nature Foundation to help develop elephant-based tourism in Surin. With their support, our goal is to establish sustainably managed elephant tourism as an alternative to both street begging and to other forms of tourism, such as circuses and elephant rides. Families of elephants will roam freely in natural habitat and their mahouts will be provided with a steady income. This income will supplement some of the money that the mahouts previously made street begging with their elephant, thereby encouraging them to stay at the park.


Volunteers are welcome!

The next groups start in Bangkok* on the following Monday mornings:

May 3rd, May 17th, May 31st, June 14th, June 28th, July 12th, and July 26th

*If you're already in northern Thailand, you can still participate in Surin! We leave from Chiang Mai for Surin at 4pm the Sunday before every Monday session begins.

The impact this project will have for elephant conservation is huge. The Surin government has already set aside over 2,000 acres of land, enough to maintain a breeding population of 300 elephants, approximately 10% of the existing population of Asian elephants living in captivity in Thailand today. In Surin, we have a chance to change history – to save the Asian elephant from extinction and give them a life worth living for generations to come.

Elephant Nature Foundation is a non-profit organization which advocates and acts on behalf of the rights of Asian elephants in Thailand.

Our mission is to increase awareness about the plight of the endangered Asian elephant, educate locals on the humane treatment of their elephants, and provide sanctuary for rescued elephants at our nature park.

Elephant Nature Park, our showpiece project, provides a safe home to rescued elephants who were previously abused and neglected. Perfect for day trips, overnight visits, and long-term volunteer opportunities, Elephant Nature Park offers a unique experience for visitors of all ages.

Located on a remote mountaintop, Elephant Haven is a jungle retreat regularly visited by our elephants. Far from human encroachment, a visit to the Haven allows our elephants to relax in their natural environment.

Jumbo Express provides emergency medical care to elephants who would otherwise receive none. It also works to build ties with local populations and helps to improve human-elephant relationships.

To learn more about how you can help save the Asian elephant, be sure to check out our How You Can Help section with great information about fostering an elephant, making donations, buying items from our online store, and more.

Those interested in making a difference at home should check out Elephant Nature Foundation UK for more information about attending or hosting fundraising activities and awareness drives in your hometown.

Working together we can all make a difference in the lives of Asian elephants not only in Thailand, but throughout the world.