Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT)

Huge reserve with lots of space in animal enclosures. Originally aimed at helping rescue elephants. But now has lots more different animals e.g. tigers, monkeys, birds, bears. Apparently were asked to take most of these when several zoos failed during covid. Had great guide (jan?) Who had been involved from earliest times so knew much about the history of many rescues. They keep human interaction to a minimum to let animals live how they want. At end of afternoon session did get to feed 2 elephants that had sight issues. Be aware this place seems very popular. On my visit we were split into 3 parties of about 24 on our own trams. In the morning there is quite a lot of walking. But this is on fairly level ground and by enclosures often on concrete paths. The included lunch was nice, chicken with salads. Could buy beer and soft drinks at Stripes restaurant. After lunch lot of time on tram with short walks. I got the impression they are totally devoted to the well being on their animals. Many of whom had horrendous experiences prior to being rescued. They totally deserve your support and my thanks for a highly enjoyable and educational day.

An amazing experience! The volunteers were incredibly friendly, kind, and knowledgeable. They took the time to explain what wild animals go through and the abuse many of them suffer. You should absolutely visit, donate, or even volunteer there, it’s truly an incredible and deeply heart-touching experience. At the same time, it’s so important to be mindful of where we choose to visit. We should avoid places that exploit or abuse animals and instead support sanctuaries and organizations that genuinely protect and respect them.

We had a good time overall and were away from the hotel from 8:30 to 4:30. The tour and guide were good, it was nice seeing and learning about the various animals. I hope they increasingly move toward cage-free enclosures for the animals, as much as possible. Lunch was fine, but could have been better. There was only water to drink, no juice, herbal drink, coffee, or tea. More fruit, or more tropical fruit — not just watermelon and pineapple — would have been nice. I find it especially sad that an animal sanctuary serves animals as food. Why do we love and protect some animals, while condoning the torture and murder of other animals? The food that was served should have been labeled and labeled properly: vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, contains nuts or nut-free. The peanut sauce had a list of ingredients, but didn’t include fish sauce, which I found out after I poured some into a bowl and was excited to eat it, but wasn’t able to. Overall, it’s a great place and I’m grateful for the work they do.