At three years old, Me-Bai the elephant was ripped from her mother's side and sold into the entrainment and tourism industry. But thanks to Thailand's Elephant Nature Park, the mother and daughter have finally been reunited!
Their story began in 2011, when Me-Bai was sold to a local circus and was forced to entertain tourists as an elephant riding service. Recently, she started to lose weight and could no longer work. She was shipped off to the Elephant Nature Park, an animal rehabilitation sanctuary, where she was able to live a better life. Although the baby was nervous and wary of people when she first arrived at the sanctuary, she quickly learned that her new caretakers had no intention of abusing her.
After further investigation, Lek Chailert from the Elephant Nature Park discovered that the baby's mother, Mae Yui, worked for a different trekking business and contacted the owner. In a twist of fate, Mae Yui's owner agreed to retire her so that she and her daughter could be reunited and live freely together at the park!
In the video, Me-Bai and her mother reunited after three years apart — joining trunks, hugging each other, and "talking." This baby's reaction to seeing her mommy again made my heart melt! The baby's ear start flapping and it's so obvious that there is a deep connection between them.
Now, Mae Yui's owners and Elephant Nature Park are working together to rehabilitate Mae Yui and Me-Bai so that they can return to the wild and live free. By sharing this story, Chailert and his group hope this emotional reunion will educate the public to stop supporting elephant riding or circus shows because many of these animals are taken from from their families at a young age and forced to become entertainment acts.
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