Our History

Maeklang Elephant
Conservation Community
MECC Chiang Mai Thailand

In the last century Thailand's elephant population numbered around 100,000, but by 2017 this figure had dramatically dropped to an estimated 6,000 animals. Today Thailand's wild elephants number less than 3,000, living in both protected and unprotected areas. However this figure is in decline through factors such as loss of natural habitat, often caused by slash and burn farming. The remaining population live as they have done for centuries along side Thai people. Sadly in some border areas elephants are still used in hard labor, in particular in the illegal logging industry.

Our Elephant Tours help Maeklang Elephant Conservation Camp provide:

• Rescue sick, handicapped and abused elephants
• Provide specialist medical care, food and shelter
• To gain knowledge through research and share this with locals and visitors alike
• Increase Thailand's elephant population through our breeding program
• The conservation of our natural and cultural heritage
• To support community based sustainable ecotourism
• To promote organic farming through education and hard cash incentives
• To locally source safe organic food for our elephants