The Elephant Reintroduction Foundation
The Elephant Reintroduction Foundation is a charitable non-profit organization based in Thailand founded in 2002 as a Royal initiative of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit of Thailand with the mission to reintroduce captive elephants into the wild, restore natural habitat with indigenous plants and wildlife, research and educate others about Asian elephants, and promote management of long-term survival of elephants in Thailand and around the world.
The mission of the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation is to acquire either through donation or purchase captive elephants and reintroduce them to protected forest habitat to live as wild elephants.”
The Elephant Reintroduction Foundation manages three vast forest sanctuaries in Thailand where, so far, ninety-three formerly captive elephants have been successfully released back into natural habitat. The elephants roam free and there are no tourists visiting these sanctuaries. To celebrate the work of the Foundation, we have initiated World Elephant Day to bring attention to the plight of Asian and African elephants worldwide because both species face numerous threats pushing them towards extinction.
The Elephant Reintroduction Foundation offers one hopeful solution for the replenishing of endangered Asian elephants in Thailand by demonstrating what can be achieved when a comprehensive effort is made to protect elephants and give them a chance for survival in their natural role in the forest ecosystem. The Foundation has shown that as long as they are in good health almost all captive elephants can be successfully reintroduced to a life in the wild.
For the past ten years, the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation has kept a regular blog and website that is updated weekly to chronicle the lives of the elephants and the organization’s activities in the three forest sanctuaries. All sponsorship and donation funds directly support the work of the Foundation and care for the elephants in the field. The Foundation’s annual reports are independently audited yearly by Ernst & Young Office Ltd. and are available on the website.
Foundation Board of Directors
Field Staff
The Elephant Reintroduction Foundation has a team of 28 field staff who are based in the three forest sanctuaries. They are all uniquely skilled and trained in forestry and wildlife management, conservation and elephant behavior. Some of them have grown up with elephants and are former mahouts.
Management Staff
- Premjith Hemmawath, General Manager of Bangkok Office
- Chonsaporn Aphiwongngam, Coordinator of ChiangMai and Lampang Office
- Parichat Junkrut, Coordinator of Lopburi Office
Advisory Veterinarians for the Foundation
- Assistant Professor Chatchote Thitaram DVM
- Taweepoke Angkwanit DVM
- Chaleamchat Somgird DVM
To learn more please visit the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation’s website.
