In Thailand, they take special measures to ensure their elephants don’t go extinct by funding elephant sanctuaries. Mark and I decided to visit one of these sanctuaries and volunteer, and it became my favorite experience so far. We started off the day by having a little fun and going bamboo rafting down a river. It was crazy cool! We then went to the sanctuary where we learned about the Asian elephant, how different they are from the African elephant, what they eat, their size, lifespan, and how every elephant born in the country has to be reported to the government and given a passport number! We then got to feed the elephants, and it was so cool getting so close to them and actually getting to pet them! We also played with a baby elephant that was so adorable!

After the elephants eat, they have to go on a walk to help them digest their food, so we walked with them down a path through the woods and eventually ended up at the river where they get bathed and can hydrate their skin. Their skin is like leather, so the water feels amazing for them. They are like big babies in the water, rolling around and playing. We got to bathe them and throw water on them to make sure they got all the spots. After that, they walk back to the sanctuary and get some vitamins to eat. Since their diet is mostly just bamboo, sugar cane, and grass, they get some vitamins to help them grow stronger and hopefully save them from being endangered. Overall, it was an amazing experience that I think everyone should have to really appreciate the work and dedication it takes from the sanctuaries to save these beautiful animals.