Wassana วาสนา
Name Meaning: Destiny
Arrival date: July 2016
Arrival age: 42
Rescue location: Ratchaburi
History: Wassana’s rescue was secured by WFFT supporter, Joan Pearson and her friends in Sydney, who kindly donated the money to retire her after more than 40 years of human exploitation. She received a full health assessment at the trekking camp before her rescue, and we found she was in good condition, though she did bear scars and a large abscess from her working life.
Upon her arrival at WFFT, Wassana walked around her new enclosure with great confidence. All day and night, she communicated with the other elephants in low rumbles. She quickly won the hearts of many staff members and volunteers.
Characteristics: Wassana is a small elephant with a well-rounded back, small ears and very prominent depigmentation on her trunk. She has unique light, copper-coloured eyes. Wassana is confident and active, usually approaching anyone who passes by her enclosure and walking with them along the perimeter.
Sponsor Wassana today: Help us to finance the ongoing care for Wassana by making a donation. Adoption donations are safe, secure and tax deductible through Paypal.
Wassana’s Story
July 2022
Wassana then and now
One elephant, but two entirely different lives. Wassana was exploited for more than 40 years: chained up, ridden all day long by tourists, and gathering countless scars on her body from being beaten with [...]
November 2019
Update : Wassana Undergoes Cryotherapy
After the Vet Team started to perform cryotherapy on Wassana 2 months ago using liquid nitrogen at -79 ° C on the skin to kill the tumour cell, her condition has improved significantly.
September 2019
Wassana Undergoes Cryotherapy
Over the last month the WFFT Vet Team noticed a mass on Wassana’s right hind limb. They did a biopsy, and the results showed that she has a malignant spindle cell tumour that needed to be removed as soon as possible.
December 2018
Midlands Makeover
Last week our elephant volunteers gave a Midlands enclosure a makeover! The poles were repainted, some tire enrichments and a scratching post were set up, and sand piles were recreated for the sweet eles to [...]
November 2018
October 2018
How to Age Elephants
Did you know that elephants have 6 sets of teeth in a lifetime? Here are some other ways you can estimate the age of an elephant! https://youtu.be/eC7zQSYne3w
February 2018
Some Heavy Enrichments for the Ele’s in Midlands!
One more time the "Enrichment Special Project Team" of the WFFT Elephant Refuge strikes again. Each time composed of volunteers ever motivated for physical tasks, our mission is to build new entertaining and strong facilities [...]
August 2016
Wassana is making Friends!
Over the last couple of weeks we have been gradually introducing our most recently rescued elephant Wassana, a 45-year-old lady rescued from a tourist camp where she had been exploited for many years, to some [...]
July 2016
Welcome to “Wassana”!
We would like you to meet "Wassana" an elephant that has worked in the tourism industry for over 40 years. She was rescued two days ago after a very successful fundraising party in Sydney two [...]
