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Putting Elephants First — with Katherine Connor
What does it actually take for a traumatized elephant to begin to heal? And what does it mean to be a truly ethical traveler in a world where every venue calls itself a sanctuary?
In part two of our conversation with Katherine Connor, we move from her personal story into the broader landscape of elephant welfare in Thailand. Kat takes us inside the recovery process at BLES — where no two elephants heal the same way, and where true sanctuary means recognizing that trauma sits differently in every individual. She challenges the misconception that rescue is a fairy tale, and shares what it really looks like when an elephant finally feels safe.
We also explore one of the most misunderstood relationships in elephant welfare: the bond between elephants and their mahouts. Kat makes a compelling and compassionate case for why mahouts are not the enemy — and why the responsibility for change lies with all of us.
This is a conversation that will challenge the way you think about tourism, advocacy, and what it truly means to put elephants first.
About Katherine Connor & BLESKatherine Connor is the founder of Boon Lott's Elephant Sanctuary in Sukhothai, Thailand — one of the world's most respected true sanctuaries for elephants. BLES has been operating for 20+ years and has rescued over 45 elephants in Boon Lott's name, providing them with hundreds of acres of land, a mahout family that has cared for elephants for generations, and a life defined by freedom, space, and dignity.
🌐 blesele.org 📸 Instagram: @blesele 🐘 Adopt an elephant: blesele.org/adopt 💛 Donate: blesele.org/financial-gift
About the Weeping Elephant ProjectThe Weeping Elephant Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness and affecting change for circus and zoo elephants in the United States. Bearing Weight is our effort to bring voices together — because the work is stronger when it's shared.
Consider donating to support the work we're doing: weepingelephant.org
🌐 weepingelephant.org 📸 Instagram: @weepingelephantproject
If you haven't listened yet, go back and start with Part One — A Promise to Boon Lott — to hear Katherine's full origin story and the remarkable life of the elephant who started it all.
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By Weeping Elephant ProjectWhat does it actually take for a traumatized elephant to begin to heal? And what does it mean to be a truly ethical traveler in a world where every venue calls itself a sanctuary?
In part two of our conversation with Katherine Connor, we move from her personal story into the broader landscape of elephant welfare in Thailand. Kat takes us inside the recovery process at BLES — where no two elephants heal the same way, and where true sanctuary means recognizing that trauma sits differently in every individual. She challenges the misconception that rescue is a fairy tale, and shares what it really looks like when an elephant finally feels safe.
We also explore one of the most misunderstood relationships in elephant welfare: the bond between elephants and their mahouts. Kat makes a compelling and compassionate case for why mahouts are not the enemy — and why the responsibility for change lies with all of us.
This is a conversation that will challenge the way you think about tourism, advocacy, and what it truly means to put elephants first.
About Katherine Connor & BLESKatherine Connor is the founder of Boon Lott's Elephant Sanctuary in Sukhothai, Thailand — one of the world's most respected true sanctuaries for elephants. BLES has been operating for 20+ years and has rescued over 45 elephants in Boon Lott's name, providing them with hundreds of acres of land, a mahout family that has cared for elephants for generations, and a life defined by freedom, space, and dignity.
🌐 blesele.org 📸 Instagram: @blesele 🐘 Adopt an elephant: blesele.org/adopt 💛 Donate: blesele.org/financial-gift
About the Weeping Elephant ProjectThe Weeping Elephant Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness and affecting change for circus and zoo elephants in the United States. Bearing Weight is our effort to bring voices together — because the work is stronger when it's shared.
Consider donating to support the work we're doing: weepingelephant.org
🌐 weepingelephant.org 📸 Instagram: @weepingelephantproject
If you haven't listened yet, go back and start with Part One — A Promise to Boon Lott — to hear Katherine's full origin story and the remarkable life of the elephant who started it all.