BLES allows elephants to live in a safe and natural environment that encourages them to rediscover their true identity as elephants. We empower our elephants and give them the freedom to make choices and to explore social interactions with their own kind.

Basic skills such as foraging, digging, grazing, swimming, scratching - These are behaviours and natural instincts that have been denied to most of our elephants before being rescued by BLES. Most captive elephants are forbidden from indulging in instinctive habits like these, because the focus has always been on the tourists’ demands and never on the elephants’ needs.

Additionally, we offer support and advice to local elephant owners who may lack sufficient funds to care for their animals. We are deeply committed to our village community and provide jobs and housing to several mahouts and their families. We encourage local participation in BLES activities and promote education about elephants and their plight as well as the environment.