Our Initiatives
Sustainable & ethical elephant tourism
Captive elephants will always need tourism, but it should benefit the elephants, not just people. Please support “hands-off” projects—close contact with elephants causes stress and only serves our own desires. Elephants are incredible, but they should never suffer for our entertainment. They need companionship and the space from us to express natural behaviours. We continue to support our retired elephants in Thailand.
Veterinary assistance
With the help of compassionate donors and volunteers, we have been able to assist with the basic services animals in rural areas often miss out on. We’ve provided vaccinations and first aid, and worked with local charities to desex village animals—preventing disease, reducing suffering, and breaking the cycle of unwanted litters.
Education
We were able to offer English lessons at the local school where the elephant project was based, along with animal-welfare workshops and fun sports days. These activities gave children opportunities to learn, grow, and build confidence. By teaching compassion and responsible animal care, we helped support a kinder future for both the elephants and the community.
About Isara Elephant Foundation
Founded in 2015 by an Australian veterinary nurse, Isara Elephant Foundation began with a simple mission: to improve conditions for animals in Thailand.
In our early years, we travelled throughout remote regions providing essential first aid for working elephants, preventative healthcare, and conducting neutering clinics for stray animal populations. These grassroots efforts laid the foundation for what would become a long-term commitment to strengthen animal welfare through collaborative approaches that empower, rather than criticise.
In 2022, we supported our partners in establishing the a community-based elephant retirement initiative within a Karen hill tribe village. Through an alternative livelihood program, we helped elephant owners and mahouts remain in their community while allowing their elephants to roam naturally in the surrounding forest. This model ensured both ethical elephant care and a stable income for the families who have long depended on these animals. We were able to provide English lessons to local children, further supporting the community’s long-term opportunities.
By 2024 and 2025, with help of our incredible donors we were able to able to retire 2 deserving elephant permanently to the project—a truly special and transformative moment for us.
Late 2025 challenges with land rights eventually forced our partners relocate and establish a new sanctuary site. So today, our retired elephants are living the peaceful, natural life they deserve in sanctuary in Chiang Mai province. The new location offers greater accessibility, improved safety, and faster access to specialised veterinary care in the event of an emergency, allowing the the highest standards of welfare to be upheld.
Isara Elephant Foundation supports these elephants, who have spent their lives working in entertainment, and other displaced animals with our partners in Chiang Mai. Our journey has been long and challenging, but every step has brought us closer to creating peaceful retirement for elephants.
