Boon Chuey has passed away

It is with enormous sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved elephant, Boon Chuey.

At 60+ years old, Boon Chuey had been struggling with health issues and went down a few nights ago. Although the team got her up again, yesterday morning she lay down for the last time. Our vet and care team did everything they could to make her comfortable and were by her side until the end.

Boon Chuey would have been celebrating her 10th year of sanctuary next month. Before arriving at WFFT she endured more than 50 years of cruelty in tourist trekking, logging and even street begging – she had a deformed spine, most likely as a result of the years of demanding and hard labour. For the last 10 years, it’s been a privilege to watch Boon Chuey’s personality blossom. We’ll remember her best for her love of food and charging over when she hears the sound of banana trees being chopped. All thanks to our friend Joan who financed her rescue and supporters like you, Boon Chuey had almost a decade of peace at our sanctuary: foraging through the trees and swimming in her lake when she thought no one was watching her. Yesterday, we held a Buddhist ceremony to allow passage to the next life. Rest in peace, beautiful girl, we’ll never forget you.