Sponsor an elephant @ The Elephant Valley Project

Hello dear Sponsors,

We want to start by sharing that we have also matched the funding for Darling! The best news we can share! She is now safe and will now spend the rest of her life with her friend Doe at EVP. The final stretch went well and thanks to a big donation from a family that came to visit, we made it!

This time of year always comes with challenges, not just for local communities, but also for the wildlife that shares the land. As the dry season settled in over the past months, the landscape around us changed significantly. Water sources began to shrink, vegetation became sparse in exposed areas, and nearby land clearing increased in preparation for the rainy season. There are wild elephants hanging around EVP more regularly. 

To ensure our 7 elephants continue to have access to sufficient food and water, we relocated them deeper into the forest where conditions were better. These areas still offer shade, natural water sources, fresh wet mud, and a wider variety of forage.
Such seasonal movements are essential, but they require careful planning and constant monitoring. Our team and mahouts work closely together every day, observing behavior, diet, and overall health to make sure each elephant continues to do well despite the harsher conditions.

Another highlight of this period was the return visit of Steve Koyle from elephant care unchained, a highly respected elephant foot care specialist. He continued on training the elephants and our team (especially Norm) with target training and foot desensitization. These methods allow elephants to actively participate in their own care, reducing stress and improving welfare outcomes. His calm, patient approach left a lasting impression on both staff and elephants, and his guidance continues to shape how we manage daily care routines.

We had a week of rain in March and toward the end of April we had some more rain. This is really good for the forest. There’s more fresh forage around compared to last year and the elephants didn't drop as much weight as last year. They always drop a little bit in the dry season, which is very natural. 

Elephant Updates

Gee Pael (Pearl)
Pearl has made excellent progress over the past few months. The wounds on her backside are continuing to improve. The wounds haven’t reopened recently so we have been able to stop medication for now. We have to keep an eye on things to make sure it stays this way. She remains calm and cooperative during daily care, showing trust in her caretakers.

In February Pearl had a little adventure by herself. The Mahouts were surprised not to see her at her nightspot and soon we found out she was visiting Hen. She must have smelled him and decided it was time to flirt. They were friendly together and luckily nothing happened.
She enjoys long hours of foraging and is particularly fond of her mud baths. She is seen sometimes rolling in the mud and she never skips a day to do her skincare. 

Nung Bra (Ruby)
Ruby continues to show quiet resilience. Her glaucoma is being carefully managed with daily treatments, helping to keep her comfortable. Every now and then she has a small cut on her head from bumping into a branch. She also loves taking a good mud bath regularly and that's always a joy to watch.
Unfortunately she had another few days in February where she had a small blockage. The team acted quickly, providing intensive care until she fully recovered with minimum help. She is stable again and navigating the forest confidently, relying on her other senses and memory. 

Hen
Hen is in very good condition and remains one of our more relaxed elephants. His facial abscess all of a sudden were more swollen towards his eye, and soon there was another opening. We are now back to flushing the abscess again daily and the swelling has gone down and not much debris is coming out. Hen also developed a large swelling on his penis. We thought it was a snake bite, but we couldn't see any puncture wounds. We gave him medicine and brought the swelling down with ice.
He was moved to a different part of the forest when we noticed a wild bull moving closer to his area. He liked being near the river and having a bath. His old hip injury remains stable, and his active movement is a positive indicator of his overall well-being.

Ning Wan
Ning Wan worked with Steve and Norm on her Foot training and she finally got it! Where in the beginning she did not understand what we wanted from her, she now puts her front feet up. However, she still tries to go around the fence to see if she can get a snack without putting her feet up!
Ning Wan continues to embrace her later years with character and strength. While her teeth have deteriorated, requiring softer and specially prepared food, she maintains a strong appetite and enthusiasm for feeding time. She shares a close and constant bond with Gee Chreng, and the two are rarely far apart. Despite her age, Ning Wan remains surprisingly energetic and continues to move well through the forest.

Gee Chreng
Gee Chreng is thriving both physically and socially. She remains in excellent health and continues to grow in confidence within the herd. Her bond with Ning Wan is particularly strong, offering companionship and reassurance. During Steve’s visit, Gee Chreng began target training and made impressive progress. She cooperates well and we can now trim her nails if needed. While she does not currently require medical treatment, this training is an important step in preparing her for any future care needs in a calm and cooperative way.

Doe & Darling
Doe and Darling remain very good friends and are always near each other. Following increased wild elephant activity, they were relocated to a new valley with abundant vegetation and space to explore. They also did training with Steve and Norm and we are working on the hind legs. The front feet they understand very well already.

They both were showing some discomfort and when we did a fecal we found they had worms. After deworming they are doing much better and are back to their normal selves.
Darling is showing early signs of dental wear, which we are monitoring closely, while Doe remains highly engaged in foraging. She loves pulling down vines or pushing over a tree. They love sharing a mud bath together, something they do daily, mostly accompanied by trumpetting from Darling as she enjoys the opportunity to mud with her best friend!

Thank You

Your support makes all of this possible. Every treatment, every relocation, every carefully prepared meal, and every peaceful day in the forest is a direct result of your generosity.

Because of you, these elephants are not just being cared for but they are given the opportunity to live freely, form bonds, and heal from their pasts.

From all of us at the Elephant Valley Project, and from the elephants themselves, thank you for standing with us and helping us provide them with the life they deserve.

The EVP team.

Dear All,

As we finished an unforgettable year, we are truly thrilled to share some beautiful and emotional news with you. Together, we have raised the full amount needed to rescue Doe! She is now safe and secured with us at EVP.

To every single person who donated, shared our campaign, visited the project, or simply believed in what we are doing here: thank you from our hearts. You have given Doe the precious chance to live the rest of her life in peace, safety, and freedom. We are deeply, deeply grateful for your kindness and trust.

But our work is not finished yet. There is still one more elephant who urgently needs our help; Darling.

This past Giving Tuesday, on December 2, our amazing community came together once again, and we raised USD 7,000 for her rescue. We are truly touched by everyone who participated and made this possible. To secure Darling’s future here at EVP, we still need to raise the remaining USD 12,500 by March/April 2026. We believe, with your continued support, we can give Darling the same chance at a safe, dignified, and forever home and make sure she never has to leave the forest she loves so much.

If you are able, please consider another donation for Doe & Darling and join the growing Soul Sisters Movement →
https://elephantvalleyproject.org/save-doe-darling/

Last Quarter

During Sept and Oct we experienced a very wet rainy season this year, including a few mega typhoons, but the bonus is it always makes the forest green, and full of life. We had fewer guests visiting during this time, but the elephants didn’t mind at all. They enjoyed the fresh greens everywhere, the cool weather, and the peaceful forest. The elephants actually like the rain. Rainfall helps regulate body temperature, as elephants are unable to sweat efficiently. Cooler, wet conditions reduce heat stress, particularly in tropical environments. Rain also contributes to skin health by softening the skin and aiding in the removal of dust, dried mud, and external parasites. This is often followed by natural behaviors such as rubbing against trees or applying fresh mud, which provides further protection from insects and sun exposure.

From November onward, visitor numbers gradually began to increase again, and it has been wonderful to welcome people back into the forest. Throughout December, Mondulkiri entered its windy season, a  transitional period between the rainy and dry seasons. During this time the nighttime temperatures drops significantly, often reaching around 12-25°C. While this may feel like a nice change for visitors, these cooler nights can increase the energy demands on elephants, particularly older ele’s or those with past health challenges.

To support their well-being during the windy season, we provide additional supplements, including extra food in the evenings. This helps the elephants maintain body condition, regulate their body temperature overnight, and continue thriving despite the seasonal changes. Adapting care routines to local climate patterns is an essential part of ensuring long-term health and comfort for every elephant in our care.

All our elephants are doing very well. We had no major issues this quarter, and seeing them healthy and thriving gives us so much joy. 

Below is a little update on each of our elephants for your lovely sponsors :)

Ruby 

Our sweet Ruby continues to be very stable and doing great. Even though she is blind, she moves around confidently to forage on her own. Her eyes have been calm recently, giving her no discomfort, which is such a relief for us.  Now that the weather is cooler, she dropped a little bit of weight, so she is back on rice again, which she absolutely loves. It is helping her regain her perfect shape. And of course, she never misses the chance to enjoy her daily snacks.

Pearl

We are happy to say that Pearl is doing great! Although her leg treatment is still ongoing, the condition has improved to the point where daily treatment is now down to every couple of days, indicating steady recovery.She is putting more pressure on her foot and it looks like it is giving her less discomfort. She appears noticeably less itchy around her bum, and the wounds in this area are healing well with consistent care. Towards the end of November, Pearl experienced her first oestrus (coming into season) since the passing of Diamond. We think she may have got a whiff of big boy Hen on the opposite hill :)  This is an encouraging indicator of her physical condition and overall well-being, and suggests that she is feeling good and healthy. 

Gee Chreng

Gee Chreng is very steady and peaceful. Ever since her toothache in June, she has had no more pain or discomfort. She had some botfly bites, but they were treated quickly and she is otherwise very healthy. We see her becoming more confident around people. She used to be quite nervous (even after already 6 years being with us), but now she shows us she feels at ease. Still, when a loud noise surprises her, she immediately calls for comfort and Ning Wan always comes to reassure her with gentle touches and soft rumbles. She might be a big elephant, but her confidence is still small.

Ning Wan

Our oldest elephant is still one of the strongest and most spirited walkers. She leads the forest walks proudly, always with Gee Chreng following close behind. Their bond is beautiful to watch, especially when Gee Chreng becomes scared and Ning Wan comforts her with soft reassurances. She continues to enjoy her daily supplemental food, which helps her maintain good nutrition and makes eating easier for her. Ning Wan never misses mealtime and she can hear the food delivery motorbike from far away and positions herself perfectly so we never forget her. She is a very clever old lady. She is also making good progress with her footcare training with Steve and Norm and is now finally putting her feet up, which she thought she could avoid at first. It is funny to watch her work as she is impatient when she is not getting her reward fast enough.

Hen

Handsome Hen has been exploring the valleys as usual. Although he has a dislocated hip, he still does amazingly well. He forages like a champion, and his favorite activity lately is pulling out small trees to eat the roots. His mahouts say he is very calm these days and cooperative with treatment. His facial abscess has almost gone, which is wonderful, but we continue flushing his tooth socket regularly because he still tries to clean it himself with mud. We are not entirely sure what is happening inside, and we even tried to recently put a camera insight but it did not give us more answers, so for now we continue monitoring him closely.

Darling

This diva is always close to her best friend Doe. With plenty of bamboo around ( her absolute favorite) she has been eating a lot. She is a healthy elephant overall, without many issues, but because the weather is cooler now, she is also receiving some rice to keep her round and strong. Darling enjoys her daily “spa moments” in the mud and loves wandering through the forest.

Doe

Doe happily strolls through the forest searching for tasty vines. Besides one small botfly bite, she has had no issues this quarter and remains healthy. We continue her foot training regularly so she stays comfortable lifting her feet for future care. Doe and Darling are always favorites among our visitors and it is easy to understand why. Watching their friendship is truly special.

Looking Ahead

With the end of the rainy season, forest conditions become more stable and accessible, allowing us to safely welcome more guests back into the sanctuary. Drier trails and calmer weather improve daily operations, support elephant movement through the forest, and enable our team to carry out monitoring, training, and medical care more efficiently. The return of visitors brings renewed energy to the sanctuary and helps strengthen the connection between people and elephant welfare.

At the heart of everything we do, however, are you, our supporters. Your ongoing commitment provides the foundation that allows our work to continue year-round, regardless of seasonal challenges. We look ahead to 2026 with hope for bigger and better things!

From all of us at Elephant Valley Project, thank you. We truly could not do this work without your kindness, trust, and unwavering support.

With deep gratitude and all our love,


The Elephant Valley Project Team