Sangduen Chailert
Sangduen Chailert | |
|---|---|
แสงเดือน ชัยเลิศ | |
| Chailert with a newborn elephant, 2012 | |
| Born | (1961年10月06日) October 6, 1961 (age 64) Baan Lao, Chiang Mai province, Thailand |
| Other name | Lek |
| Education | Chiang Mai University |
| Occupation | Animal welfare worker |
| Known for | Founder of Elephant Nature Park |
Sangduen "Lek" Chailert (Thai: แสงเดือน "เล็ก" ชัยเลิศ; born 6 October 1961) is a Thai animal welfare worker. She is the founder of Elephant Nature Park and the Save Elephant Foundation and is known for her activism for the welfare and protection of Asian elephants. Chailert has been described as "Thailand's elephant whisperer".[1] [2] [3]
Early life
[edit ]Chailert was born in 1961 in the village of Baan Lao in northern Thailand.[4] Growing up she was given the nickname "Lek", which means "small" in Thai.[3] She was the granddaughter of a local shaman, and helped him take care of sick animals as a child. When she was 16, she saw elephants being mistreated while carrying logs in the jungle.[1] [5] Chailert later graduated from Chiang Mai University.[6]
Career
[edit ]Chailert founded Elephant Nature Park, a sanctuary for abused Asian elephants spread over 250 acres of land in Chiang Mai province. The sanctuary has rescued over 200 elephants, in addition to other animals, such as 500 dogs, water buffalo, cows, cats, rabbits, horses, pigs and goats.[1]
In addition, Chailert also established the Save Elephant Foundation, a non-profit organisation that advocates for the protection of Asian elephants. Chailert has advocated against the practice of phajaan to tame wild elephants, for which she received threats, including the poisoning of one of her rescued elephants.[2]
Chailert has also been involved with the creation of conservation reserves for elephants and other animals in other parts in Thailand, as well as Cambodia, India and Laos, such as the Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary and Elephant Sanctuary Laos.[3]
Chailert campaigned for the rescue of Tikiri, an elephant in Sri Lanka.[7]
Recognition
[edit ]Chailert has been featured in documentaries by National Geographic, Animal Planet, Discovery and the BBC.[8] [9] She was awarded a Genesis Award for the National Geographic documentary Vanishing Giants.[10] [8]
In 2001, the Ford Foundation named Chailert its "Hero of the Planet".[10] In 2010, she was one of six women recognised as Global Conservation Female Heroes by Hillary Clinton in Washington D.C..[11] Time named Chailert as one of its "Heroes from Asia" in 2005.[12]
In 2022, Chailert received the Legion of Honour in Bangkok from the President of France, Emmanuel Macron. That same year, the documentary The Elephant Rescuer of Thailand, documenting Chailert's efforts against elephant poachers and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Elephant Nature Park, premiered.[13]
References
[edit ]- ^ a b c Garcia, Lucia (2016年06月07日). "Meet Thailand's elephant whisperer". CBS News. Archived from the original on 2025年05月16日. Retrieved 2025年10月04日.
- ^ a b King, Robert (2005年11月12日). "The Elephant Whisperer". The Ecologist. Archived from the original on 2025年02月06日. Retrieved 2025年10月04日.
- ^ a b c Casselman, David B. (2021年12月21日). "Lek Chailert: When the Lawyer met the Elephant Whisperer". Ecoflix. Archived from the original on 2025年07月20日. Retrieved 2025年10月04日.
- ^ Koehl, Dan. "Saengduean Lek Chailert". Elephant Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 2019年12月11日. Retrieved 2025年10月04日.
- ^ "Die Elefantenflüsterin - Lek Chailert im Interview". This is Vegan (in German). 2025年03月03日. Archived from the original on 2025年07月20日. Retrieved 2025年10月04日.
- ^ "Sangduen (Lek) Chailert". Giraffe Heroes Project. Archived from the original on 2025年05月12日. Retrieved 2025年10月04日.
- ^ "Sri Lankan elephant Tikiri forced to perform in parades dies". BBC News. 2019年09月25日. Archived from the original on 2024年11月28日. Retrieved 2025年10月04日.
- ^ a b "Lek Chailert". United Nations System Staff College. Archived from the original on 2025年01月25日. Retrieved 2025年10月04日.
- ^ "Living With Elephants: Saba Douglas-Hamilton and Sangduen 'Lek' Chailert". BBC World Service. 2015年10月04日. Archived from the original on 2025年08月18日. Retrieved 2025年10月04日.
- ^ a b Jenkins, C. (2020年08月26日). "Sangdeaun Lek Chailert". Women's Activism NYC. Archived from the original on 2024年12月26日. Retrieved 2025年10月04日.
- ^ Campbell, Charlie (2014年08月07日). "Elephants Are Tortured and Trafficked to Entertain Tourists in Thailand". Time. Archived from the original on 2019年02月10日. Retrieved 2025年10月04日.
- ^ "Vol. 166 No. 15". Time. 2005年10月10日. Archived from the original on 2024年07月21日. Retrieved 2025年10月04日.
- ^ Sunderdiek, Tobias (2022年08月09日). "„Schauen Sie nicht hin": Was Thailands Elefantenretterin erlebt". Noz (in German). Archived from the original on 2023年10月28日. Retrieved 2025年10月04日.