My time at KSES (and why you should visit in rainy season)
By Lauren - 4 week intern
Before arriving at Kindred Spirit, my biggest worry (other than travelling to the other side of the world alone) was that I was coming in rainy season, I was scared my month at the sanctuary was going to be soaking wet and miserable. I could not have been more wrong. Rainy season, or “green season” if you’re an optimist, lasts from around June to September. During this time the hills, mountains and forests of northern Thailand are transformed into lush, thriving havens. Clouds help to keep the temperatures bearable, making hiking less exhausting, and watching the rainstorms set in from the nearby mountains is almost magical.
Don’t get me wrong, it definitely rained a lot, but the light showers go unnoticed most of the time and the heavy rain stops just as quickly as it starts. When it rains on the hikes, a poncho or umbrella is all you need to keep yourself dry, and everything dries out quickly once the sun comes back out. The wet ground can get really slippery, so hiking boots or rain boots are essential. I was there for a month, and I fell over or slipped on every hike. Stumbling through the fields in torrential rain just adds to the fun. The elephants know how to enjoy the mud, we saw them sliding down hills, throwing mud on themselves, and even rolling around in it!
No matter the season, Monday – Friday consists of early mornings, elephant observations, great food, and project work. Breakfast is at 7am, and if you’re lucky Nee will be in her corner at base selling hot drinks, pancakes, and smoothies to die for. After breakfast, we hiked to wherever the elephants were. They were sometimes in the same place as the day before but every so often they would take us on a wild goose chase around the fields and forests. Each day we would collect 90 minutes of data on the elephants. It was such a joy being able to watch them eat and interact freely in their natural habitat! Each intern collected different data, from recording the plants Dodo was eating, to monitoring how close to the rest of the herd Boon Rott ventured or watching baby Junior and recording every behaviour. After hiking we either ate lunch at base or in the forest, then had some free time.
For a couple of hours each afternoon, we did project work outside of our data collection. This can be something to do with the community in Ban Na Klang, the biodiversity in the area, or focusing on the elephants. I read and summarised lots of papers about elephant behaviours in the wild and in captivity, and also helped to identify some of the insects that had been photographed in the area. Every week we would do litter pickups in the village and sometimes the kids would join in to help us clean up the paths. We also did village English once a week, where we took turns planning lessons with Kanda and would teach a bit of basic English to the children and ladies, which often ended in chaotic games and dancing. In the evenings, we would do quizzes or give presentations to the other interns and guests. There are also plenty of card games to play, but after all the other activities I was so tired I normally ended up in bed by around 9pm. The village is full of chickens, water buffalo, pigs, cats, and dogs. The roosters definitely liked to make their voices heard, especially early in the morning before the sun came up. I loved all of the cats and dogs, I wish I could have taken some of them home with me!
Watching the elephants every day was amazing, and being able to get involved in the community was truly special. The first night I arrived, I helped to cook at my homestay and each night after that, we ate dinner at the different homestays. The Karen lesson we were given was really useful because it meant we could talk a little bit to the peole in the village, although most of the time “da blu” was all we needed. The village ladies know how to weave beautiful bags, skirts and shirts that they sell at base the evenings guests or interns arrive, so I would recommend buying some souvenirs from them instead of the mass-produced things you can find in the city.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Kindred Spirit and would recommend it to anyone who wants an ethical, hands-off elephant experience. The sanctuary works very closely with the Karen community in the area, a community which has been intertwined with elephants for generations. Every decision that they make has the interests of the community and the elephants at its heart, and navigating the nuances of wildlife conservation in a community that relies on agriculture for income and to feed themselves is done incredibly well.
Da Blu KSES!
