THE ELEPHANT WHISPERER

Sangduen Lek Chailert, often addressed as Lek, held the rapt attention of the USLS delegates. Standing before the gathering, her presence commanded unwavering attention.

Her eyes radiated unwavering determination, extending an invitation to the audience to accompany her on a voyage into the heart of the jungle. Lek embarked on an extraordinary journey destined to alter her life and the destinies of countless others, including some of the planet’s most magnificent creatures.

With each uttered word, it was as though the audience could discern the faint rustling of leaves and the whispers of the jungle, the very backdrop of her childhood. She commenced by narrating her early days in a place devoid of educational institutions, roads, or access to electricity.

One fateful day, while accompanying a missionary group deep within the jungle, she encountered a sound that would forever haunt her dreams - the anguished cries of elephants. Mere meters away, she witnessed a frail, emaciated elephant shackled to a colossal log. The elephant struggled to bear its immense burden with every ounce of its strength. The mahout, the elephant’s keeper, relentlessly prodded it with a spike while another man persistently hurled stones at the elephant’s head.

As she painted this grim tableau, it was as if the audience had been transported to that jungle, standing beside her, sharing in her torment. “I screamed,” Lek recounted, her voice trembling, “I can’t say whose cries were louder, mine or the elephant’s. I gazed into its eye and felt a deep wound in my heart. I felt the agony. I felt anger, despair, determination, and confusion.” She pledged to devote her life to safeguarding these gentle giants at that moment.

Over time, Lek’s mission evolved. She contacted villagers and elephant owners, providing medical aid to the majestic creatures and educating their caregivers. Nevertheless, her path was strewn with obstacles. She encountered staunch resistance from those deeply entrenched in the logging and exploitative elephant tourism sectors, where elephants were subjected to cruelty for tourist amusement, ridden, and coerced into performing tricks. Detractors labelled her an adversary, and she endured protests, legal battles, and even arrests. Nonetheless, her resolve remained steadfast as she declared, “When I look into an elephant’s eyes, I see a fear deeper than my own. But they have no voice.”

Over the years, Lek’s tireless endeavours culminated in establishing the Save Elephant Foundation. “More than 85% of these elephants suffer from mental health issues upon their arrival. They display madness, aggression, and anger. Some appear exceedingly timid. Some stand like statues. Until they are elephants once more.” She told the audience her strategy for persuading villagers and elephant owners to align with her cause. She realized authentic change could only be attained through compassion, not confrontation. “When I work with animals and with people, we must embrace the philosophy of love. Only love can triumph.”

Lek concluded with these resounding words: “As you graduate from university and embark on your careers, you will encounter diverse environments and confront intense pressures. Amidst these challenges, maintain a positive outlook. Refuse to let negativity poison your heart. Keep your goals in focus. Then, tirelessly labour to achieve them. Let love, not intellect, be the force that prevails in winning over others.”

It was a moment of collective enlightenment, a recognition that compassion could transform the world, beginning with one young woman’s journey from the depths of the jungle to the hearts of all who listened.