Travel-Deerland and Elephant Sanctuary

Less than a month after we arrived to KL, my husband and I decided to take a weekend day trip on a two-hour bus ride out to the Kuala Gandah Elephant Orphanage Sanctuary.  I have loved elephants my entire life and was excited at the chance to feed, bathe and ride one around the sanctuary.  However, before heading to the Elephant Sanctuary we took a minor detour to a small animal farm/park where you were able to feed miniature deers.  We weren’t really sure what to expect.  The place looked like something out of the movies…when we arrived we looked ahead to see a completely run-down version of an old-school petting zoo.  We entered through a rickety, chicken-wire fence with a sign above labeled DEERLAND.  As we continued walking through the gates, we saw ahead through a thick brush, a small heard of deer awaiting our arrival.  The Deerland workers rapidly started handing out plastic containers (the type you buy fries in at the local deli) filled to the rim with cold slices of sweet potato fries.  Evidently, the deer go crazy for them and they did!  After watching people get mauled by the deers, I quickly passed my basket to my husband, and the brave man he is, he took on the challenge.  Three minutes later we were both rushing towards the gate to get out of the pen…they were galloping behind us gnawing on my husband’s clothes and salivating down their mouths.  It was nuts!

Next stop, the Elephant Sanctuary!  Once we arrived, the bus unloaded and our group was ushered into a small theatre to watch a video on how the Elephant Sanctuary came to be…it was sad to hear how some of the elephants are displaced from their homes.  But if they aren’t brought to the sanctuary, they will be killed by people that don’t want the elephants ruining their crops and fields.  Everyone has to take off their shoes in order to enter this building where we watched the video and I have never smelled such a terrible case of foot odor in my life!  Ugh!  Cramming over 40 people in a room probably the size of a small studio in D.C., on a hot, humid Malaysian day while wearing no shoes…not the best of ideas!  Isn’t there a myth that says our nose gets used to a bad smell after 4 seconds?  Well, that wasn’t the case for the smelly feet in this room!  Ugh!  Needless to say, my husband and I tried our hardest to block the odor from our senses as we watched the video.  All in all, it was pretty interesting.

Now back outside to finally interact with the REAL elephants!  We were able to feed them, bathe them and even ride them.  But be careful, you don’t want one of these guys stepping on your toes, especially if you have nice shoes on!

THE END

How could anyone want to hurt these beautiful creatures?  If you are interested in the protection of these Malaysian elephants or making a donation to help, please visit the Kuala Gandah website.  Or you can visit some of these websites listed below to get involved in an organization which aids in the protection and safety of our our world’s endangered animals.

http://www.savetheelephants.org/

http://www.wwf.org.uk/

http://www.soselephants.org/

http://www.african-elephant.org/

http://www.elephantresearch.co.uk/

http://www.ifaw.org/ifaw_international/