Thong Suk (Jungle Boy) Arrives at Elephant Nature Park

Thong Suk (Jungle Boy) Arrives at Elephant Nature ParkMeaning ‘Golden Happiness’, Thong Suk (also known as Jungle Boy) Arrived to Elephant Nature Park in May 2003. He never had his spirit broken and will never work. His mother was a trekking elephant.

Thankfully her owners allowed her maternity leave and Jungle Boy was born at one of our ethical tourism projects, Elephant Haven, in November 2001. He and his mother Mae Boon Na stayed with us for 4 months – but – after this the owners wanted his mother to return to work. Jungle Boy had to follow his mother while she gave rides to tourists. Thankfully when he was 1 1/2 years old, Save Elephant Foundation were able to rescue him. His mother was allowed to stay with him at Elephant Nature Park for one year so he could continue nursing. Sadly, they did not want to let go of her and she was taken back to work.

He acquired a few nannies in his early years but as he grew older Jungle Boy developed a more serious interest in the females. Now a teenager, he shares a large, chain free yard with a younger bull, Chang Yim. Our hope is to be able to release him to a large, forested, protected sanctuary space sometime in the future. He is the father of both Dok Mai and Yindee.

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Elephant of the week 17 September 2019: Thong Suk (Jungle Boy)

Thong Suk’s name translates to ‘Golden Happiness’ and is affectionately known by many as Jungle Boy. He arrived at Elephant Nature Park in May 2003. His mother, Mae Boon Ma was a trekking elephant but thankfully her owners allowed her rest towards the end of her pregnancy. During this rest period she stayed at one of our ethical tourism projects, Elephant Haven and Jungle Boy was born there in November 2001.

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Thong Suk: Transition From Boy to Father

In his time at Elephant Nature Park, he has acquired many nannies in his early years but as he reached adolescence he developed a more serious interest in the females. Now he shares a large, chain-free shelter with a younger bull Chang Yim, who is believed to be his son. He is also the father of Dok Mai and Yindee.

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Jungle Boy

In the early morning light we caught first glimpses of a new-jungle born elephant at our haven. It was a tiny male, healthy and hairy. We had rented his mother from an elephant camp when we learned of her pregnancy. Lek saw her baby moving inside her stomach as she climbed the mountain carrying trekking tourists on her back. She asked the mahout for the chance to rest the expectant mother but was told that these elephants are still under agreement with the camp and she will have to work until the end of the contact. Lek was deeply troubled with this and tried to find the way out to help this poor pregnant elephant.

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