Rudi Posted June 4, 2008 Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 Brilliant pictures - Rani is beautiful, I'd love to cuddle her too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billydog Posted June 4, 2008 Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 Just wonderful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kats inc Posted June 4, 2008 Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 What a great experience and fab pics. Â Love the wedding rings idea too.That makes them so special. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacobean Posted June 4, 2008 Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 Oh my that's set me off She is so beautiful and her little hair on her head. She really has connected to you bless her. Bet you feel a bit sore when you come off riding an elephant as they're wider than a horse aren't they. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
safneo Posted June 4, 2008 Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 Its that unusual thing that prompted Sandith (owner of MEF) to get Sam to do some work with Rani (volunteers do not get to do those things with the elephants). One other thing almost an RMF in fact, we had new wedding rings made whilst we were out there. They are silver with strands of Rani tail hair inset into them, and they are rather nice  I think its very special what they have. You can see from the look in Ranis eyes.  And I would like to see pics of the rings to please Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurel n Hardy Posted June 4, 2008 Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 lovely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kats n greys Posted June 4, 2008 Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 The look between you is .  Lucky, lucky Mark  The rings again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranirottie Posted June 4, 2008 Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 you two are so lucky ,Rani is wonderful. x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happylittlegreensquirrel Posted June 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 Love the new hair btw, last pic of you I saw it was longer I think ?  it was and I really liked it long but there was an accident in the hairdresser ( major misunderstanding ) and I ended up having to have it cut really short. Like a big girls blouse I cried for 24 hours and hated it. Madly loads of people have said they really like it short so it appears to have been a blessing in disguise   Sam, what colour eyes does Rani have, they look very pretty. I want an to look at me like that  They are amber , all the others have darker brown eyes   What a lovely thread  How did Rani come to be at MEF?  she was an orphaned wild elephant who was taken to Pinnewala ( Elephant orphanage ) they have a semi wild herd and a breeding program but do not release back into the wild. When she was about 6 she was gifted by the then president of Sri Lanka to a Hindu Temple where she was basically a pet ( and took part in various temple celebrations ) her Temple owners adore her ( and she them ) but they cold not afford to feed her and provide all her medical treatment ( they are very expensive to look after ) they also were not happy with the Mahout they had so they asked MEF to take her on which they did about 6 years ago. Ranis owners are still very involved with her and come and see her at least once a month. Rani goes back to the Temple once a year for the temples Perahera.  Rani is still very young ( 28 ) and is very healthy and fit so she like the other young elephants take tourists for rides which earns money to feed them all , pay the mahouts wages etc   Can we see piccies of the rings too please  I will take some , they are lovely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happylittlegreensquirrel Posted June 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 few more Rani piccies    the reason I appear to be catching flys with my gob open in half the photos is that a large % of directing an elephant is verbal commands and they have to be shouted. The commands are a special language that Mahouts speak to elephants and is seperate to Sinhala or indeed Tamil.     the rings, the piccies don't do them justice at all    The black bands are Rani's tail hair, tail hair is never pulled out and is found by eagle eyed Mahouts normally in the bed area in the morning   Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel155 Posted June 4, 2008 Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 Beautiful rings and gorgeous Rani photos. I would so love to go to MEF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeadyP Posted June 4, 2008 Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 How absolutely fabulous. Amazing how life holds unexpected twists that can bring you to such wonderful events. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riley Posted June 4, 2008 Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 Beautiful rings and very special As for Rani, she is just gorgeous, what a wonderful bond you must share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemstone Posted June 4, 2008 Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 What a lovely thread, super photos, gorjuss heffalump Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abigailj Posted June 4, 2008 Report Share Posted June 4, 2008 there was an accident in the hairdresser ( major misunderstanding ) and I ended up having to have it cut really short. Like a big girls blouse I cried for 24 hours and hated it. Aww it's horrid when that happens cos you can't hide it and you are stuck with it for ages. I remember some silly bint in a branch of Toni and Guy, butchering the front of my hair, right up to my chin. She wasn't really paying attention to me.. too busy sorting out problems and dealing with some flower delivery. (Same day my first dog had to be put down too) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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