Kuala Gandah - up close and personal with elephants

A banana for you

Fascination, excitement, glee...these feelings reverberated through us as we offered enticing food to the elephants.

My family of eight (my husband and I, two sons, one daughter-in-law and three granddaughters) were in the Elephant Sanctuary in Kuala Gandah, Pahang, Malaysia, on a family outing in August 2014. The children were thrilled to be up close and personal with the huge heavy herbivore.

   

We started out on our trip from Klang to Kuala Gandah in two cars early in the morning. Travelling along the Federal Highway, we stopped for lunch at one of the rest-stops and arrived at the Santuary at 12.30 pm. At the administrative office, we registered ourselves, paid for a personal guide and then viewed an enlightening video show at 1 pm. 

The show highlighted the plight of elephants in Malaysia and the work done by the Elephant Relocation Team in the Conservation Centre: how they located, subdued and translocated elephants from areas where their habitats were encroached by plantations or other human development to other suitable habitats throughout Peninsular Malaysia such as Taman Negara. It was an eye-opener for many of us.

 Next, our guide, Jefry, took us to an enclosure where we fed bananas to elephants stationed there. We walked through a lovely landscaped garden on the way. It offered some shade in the sweltering heat.

Lovely garden

Elephants in an enclosure

My family enthusiastically took turns to feed the eager elephants. I watched with awe as each elephant effortlessly sucked up the banana offered, skin and all, with its flexible trunk and then put it into its mouth. All around us, everyone was enjoying the activity - one lady was so brave that she placed the banana right in the elephant’s mouth.

Feeding a banana to the elephant's trunk

Feeding a banana to the elephant's mouth

More fun-feeding followed in another section, this time with water melon slices and peanuts, generously provided by Jefry. I marveled at the way the elephant used its trunk to sniff, “vacuum”, wrap and channel the food into its mouth. It did it with such alacrity that we kept on plying it with more and more food so that we could replay the action. 

 

Feeding water melon

While everyone did the feeding fearlessly, I was the nervous one. My first attempt with the water melon failed. I giggled, tried again with peanuts, and succeeded...The tip of the elephant trunk felt moist and slimy - it gave me a funny feeling.

Soon it was Show-time. Everyone converged to an area where elephants with their mahouts (trainers) were assembled. There was a large crowd of people, and many came from Europe. We waited with eager anticipation, camera in hand.  

Audience with cameras ready for action

The presentation by the elephants, much like a circus in my younger days, thrilled my grandchildren (aged three to six). Every action (picking up a stick and hoisting a passenger etc) elicited spontaneous applause. 

 

Elephants lining up for showtime

Thereafter, all of us trooped to the river for an activity that participants have been anxiously waiting for: bathing the elephant. We first watched from afar as workers bathe the adult elephants - the mammals really revel in the pleasurable pursuit of bathing and cooling down in the hot and humid environment.

My son and granddaughter queued up with others for their turn to bathe selected baby elephants. All the participants came prepared – they were in shorts or swimming costumes for the wet adventure. In groups of 4-6 people, accompanied by a leader, they touched, scrubbed and hosed down the elephants. My son shared: “The skin is very rough and wrinkled. The bristles are long and stiff. Brushing and hosing the elephant, and getting soaking wet were memorable experiences.”

Touching and scrubbing the elephant

Getting wet in bathing elephant

Participants having fun

After that splashing adventure, my son and granddaughter had a quick bath and change of clothes. We all then headed for the canteen for some thirst-quenching ice-cream to cool down before leaving the centre.

 

My family with the elephants and their mahouts

The trip to Kuala Gandah was an enjoyable family outing. Photos and videos taken reminded us of the happy heart-warming interactions with the elephants.