Sri Nuan
By Antoinette van de Water, 2006
Sri Nuan (Beautiful girl, 100% lady)
- Age: 46 years
- Born in: Surin
- Bought free: December 16, 2005
- Saved from: Begging in cities in the Isaan
- Characteristics: Blinded on one side, big ears, special pigment pattern on her head, long full tail, walks and eats slowly.
- Other: Has a 2,5 year old daughter: Nhung Nhing. When Nhung Nhing was only 8 months old, her owner sold her to an elephant show on Phuket.
In Surin, like in most Thai cities, elephants are begging on the streets. At the elephant festival in Surin it was even so crowded that the elephants were parked like cars in parking lots. There it was that I saw Sri Nuan for the first time. Her mahout told me that she broke her chain one night and run away. On a rice field someone then shot her with a catapult and hit her in the eye. Blinded on one side, she is still begging on the streets when we call the owner. After we have agreed on a price, he brings Sri Nuan back to Surin. No more heavy tourist rides for her, and no more begging, from now on she will have a wonderfull elephant life!
The mahout tells she has a daughter: Nhung Nhing. He has sold her to an elephantshow on Phuket. We decide there and then we are going to try to reunite mother and daughter and give them both a place at the Elephant Nature Park. But how to find this baby?
Till then I hope Sri Nuan will be like an auntie watching over Silver Flower.
Meanwhile Sri Nuan together with Silver Flower has arrived at the Elephant Nature Park, where she can spend the rest of her life as a free elephant. She has become a protecting auntie for a 6 weeks old baby elephant, and stays near her all the time. She seems to be very happy with the little one near her. Apart from that she also cares for Silver Flower with whom she has become friends during their journey to the Elephant Nature Park. Pictures of a happy and free Sri Nuan at the ENP can be found beneath.
