Meet the Care Team
Good elephant welfare needs good human welfare. Behind every elephant are people — mahouts, caretakers, and their families — who play essential roles in an elephant's life. Ethical elephant tourism can't improve the lives of elephants while ignoring the wellbeing of the people caring for them.
Head Elephant Caretaker
Chicha has been closely connected to her family for many years. She originally belonged to Mr. Mae Che, who later gave her to his eldest son, Mr. Chura, when Chicha was approximately five years old. Since then, Mr. Chura has played an important role in her care.
When Chicha came to Trunk Heaven, we did not want a change of place to mean losing every familiar relationship from her past. Trunk Heaven therefore employs Mr. Chura as our Head Elephant Caretaker — allowing him to remain close to and continue caring for an elephant his family has known for many years, while earning an income and creating greater stability for his own family.
We believe continuity of relationships has value. A caretaker who has spent years with an elephant carries knowledge built through shared experience — the elephant's personality, behaviours, routines, and preferences that come only from time spent together. At Trunk Heaven, we value that knowledge and combine it with a welfare-first approach that gives elephants greater choice and autonomy.
Caring for People Too
By working with Trunk Heaven, Mr. Chura is able to remain close to and continue caring for his family's elephant, while earning a stable income to support his own family. And we don't look only at the elephant caretaker — we also consider the family standing behind him.
Trunk Heaven plans to create appropriate employment opportunities for Mr. Chura's wife, as well as the wives and family members of other elephant caretakers who work with us. As the children in these families grow, we hope to find meaningful ways to support their educational opportunities too — so they have the chance to learn, develop, and one day choose their own paths in life.
As elephants gain greater security, their caretakers should have the opportunity to build greater security too. As Trunk Heaven grows, we hope the people growing alongside us will share in that progress.