Photography Ethics at Hathi Gaon & Elephant Natural Habitat

Photography Ethics at Hathi Gaon & Elephant Natural Habitat

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Visiting India and photographing elephants in their natural habitat can be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Jaipur’s Hathi Gaon (Elephant Village) is one of the most popular places where visitors can interact with elephants in a controlled, semi-natural environment. But as tourism grows, so does the risk of disturbing these gentle giants if we don’t act responsibly. ... Read More
Elephant Enrichment: How Puzzle Feeders and Scent Trails Support Elephant Mental Health

Elephant Enrichment: How Puzzle Feeders and Scent Trails Support Elephant Mental Health

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Elephants are famous for memory, family bonds, and complex emotions. When such intelligent beings live in human care—zoos, sanctuaries, wildlife rehab centers—their minds need as much exercise as their bodies. That’s where environmental enrichment comes in. In this guide, we’ll focus on two proven, low-cost strategies—puzzle feeders and scent trails—and show how they can brighten mood, reduce stress, and encourage natural behaviors in both Asian and African elephants. ... Read More
Word from the Frontline: Insights from Hathi Gaon’s Mahouts and Veterinarians

Word from the Frontline: Insights from Hathi Gaon’s Mahouts and Veterinarians

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Just outside Jaipur’s Amber Fort, Hathi Gaon (“elephant village”) was purpose-built to house working elephants and their mahout families. Designed by RMA Architects, the project reclaimed a former sand quarry and created rain-harvesting water bodies and shaded living clusters—so elephants could bathe, drink, and rest while mahouts had nearby homes and shared courtyards. It was designed for roughly 100 elephants and their caretakers, with water as the keystone of the layout. ... Read More
Behind the Scenes: How Hathi Gaon Restores Land from a Deserted Sand Quarry

Behind the Scenes: How Hathi Gaon Restores Land from a Deserted Sand Quarry

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If you’ve ever wondered how an open wound in the land becomes a place where elephants bathe and children play, Hathi Gaon in Jaipur is a masterclass. Built near the foothills of Amber (Amer) Fort, this “elephant village” pairs humane animal care with regenerative landscape design. Before a single house went up, the first priority was to heal a site battered by quarrying and monsoon runoff by structuring the terrain to hold rain. ... Read More