Creating a brighter future for the elephants
We are passionately committed to creating a kinder world for the elephants and all creatures sharing our planet.
We are a sanctuary home where elephants can thrive and live in peace, as ambassadors for the wild.
If the elephants and the forests survive, so will the planet.
P'Kong
Co-Founder
P'Kong is from Nakon Si Thammarat and is one of Thailand's most experienced and respected elephant specialists. He has spent his entire life living and working with elephants, learning from his father and grandfather.
P'Kong has played a pivotal role in introducing Hidden Forest to Phuket, helping to improve the lives for captive elephants in tourism, moving forward elephant welfare from traditional practices.
P'Kong is incredibly knowledgeable and oversees the health, care, and welfare of our rescued elephants, whom often arrive exhausted, sick and injured. He rehabilitates and carefully socialises our elephants as they transition into forest life, patiently understanding and responding to their individual needs. He literally brings life back to worn out broken souls through his patience, deep understanding, and calm, gentle, nature.”
Louise Rogerson
Co-Founder
Louise is originally from the UK and has lived in Asia since 1997, when she relocated to Hong Kong to pursue a career in the fashion industry. During that time, she also volunteered with Animals Asia Foundation, advocating for the rescue of bears from bile farms in China and campaigning against the cat and dog meat trade. This early work laid the foundation for her lifelong commitment to animal welfare in Southeast Asia.
Louise has been working with captive elephants for 16 years,
though her love for them began at just 7 years old when she visited Sri Lanka with her family. In 2010, Louise visited an elephant sanctuary in Thailand and learnt about the abuse to captive elephants in tourism. Horrified by what she discovered, she researched the industry extensively, visiting riding camps and shows, and volunteered at numerous elephant rescue projects to gain a deeper understanding of the reality. In 2011, Louise met an elephant named Tong Teh who profoundly changed the course of her life. He had a broken wrist and was severely malnourished. Tong Teh sadly passed away and Louise has dedicated her life to protecting elephants ever since.
Louise has successfully spearheaded campaigns including the retirement of the famous elephant named Sombo in Cambodia who had been giving rides at Wat Phnom temple for over 20 years. Sombo had severely abscessed feet and after a 7 month campaign, the authorities finally agreed to her full retirement. Louise spent 2 years caring for Sombo with her family and vet team before successfully relocating her to a sanctuary in Mondulkiri to live a natural life in the forest.
In 2016, Louise partnered with a local Thai family to establish Phuket’s first ethical, non-bathing elephant sanctuary at a time when only riding camps existed on the island. Louise was adamant that the sanctuary must be a non-bathing approach - changing the course of elephant tourism in Phuket by offering visitors an observation-based alternative. Since then, Louise has created and advised on multiple ethical sanctuaries, and rescued many elephants over the years.
Her mission is to transform elephant tourism into a model founded on compassion, respect, and genuine welfare for these magnificent animals - giving visitors to Asia the opportunity to experience elephants in an educational, peaceful, and non-exploitative way.
Over the years, Louise has rescued many animals both great and small. She is vegan and strongly believes in creating a kinder world for all living beings. You will find Louise amongst the elephants at Hidden Forest where she loves meeting guests and sharing her passion, and she looks forward to welcoming you.
Russell Withers
Co-Founder
Russell is from the UK and has been working with Asian elephants since 2015 in both Thailand and Cambodia. He blends a history of international marketing, social media, technology, sales, business process, and photography.
In 2016, Russell was a founding member of the team bringing the first ethical elephant project to Phuket, and he is passionate about helping to change the course of elephant tourism. He believes that with the right help and guidance, traditional elephant trekking camps can transition to a compassionate, ‘elephant first’ model, whilst still providing a livelihood. Russell truly believes that putting animal welfare first is the way forward for the elephant tourism industry; no bathing, no riding, no shows, just elephants being elephants.
