Female elephant “Boonmee’, from Ta Song Yang District in Tak Province.

Keeper: Yuttapong Kaew-in

Condition: The elephant’s front right foot was severely injured from stepping on a landmine.

Date of admission: 14 September 2010

Boonmee arrived at Friends of the Asian Elephant Foundation Hospital on the 14^th of September 2010. At the time of her arrival for treatment, Boonmee was eight years old. Her front right foot had been severely injured from stepping on a landmine.

Boonmee was following her mother Mo Kay while the mother elephant was employed at a logging site across the Myanmar border. On the 11^th of September 2010, the chain connecting Boonmee to her mother broke, and after Boonmee came loose, she stepped on a landmine. Although she had sustained an extreme level of injury, Boonmee still had to walk three kilometres from the other side of the Myanmar border to the riverbank. On the 13^th of September 2010, Boonmee crossed the Moei River (which forms a portion of the border between Thailand and Myanmar) while tethered to a boat that was leading her to a pier at Baan Mae Lha on the Thai side of the border. After a seven-hour journey by truck, Boonmee arrived at Friends of the Asian Elephant Foundation Hospital at 1.38 am on the 14^th of September 2010. A preliminary health check revealed a severely injured right foot with the torn area beginning from the side of the foot extending diagonally towards the back of the foot. Almost the entire foot pad was lost, and there were only three toenails remaining. The elephant could occasionally use her injured foot to touch the ground, but she could not place her weight fully on that foot. The rest of her body exhibited no other wounds.

After arriving at FAE Elephant Hospital, Boonmee could only lie down for the first two months. For the 19 months that followed, Boonmee stood while sleeping, leaning on the rails during her resting time.

On the 25^th of June 2012, Boonmee’s condition caused great concern. Ms. Soraida Salwala, Founder and Secretary General, got Boonmee to wear supports. During the night, the supports would be attached to a pulley. And during the daytime, the supports would be removed from the pulley.

Between 2.00 and 6.00 of the 11^th of September 2012, Boonmee began to lie down on her side, and could stand up on her own. After that, Boonmee would lie down on her side every night, on both sides. During the daytime, she would also lie down to rest her foot. Seeing that Boonmee could lie down and stand up on her own, the supports were removed on the 13^th of October 2012, and by extension, the pulley was no longer needed.

Present condition: Boonmee is a healthy and happy elephant, and she likes to greet visitors. The wound on her front right foot has been drying up and narrowing down.