Dor Khoun Meuang

Dor Khoun Meuang foraging in the forest

In July, he experienced a brief musth period lasting around five days which is relatively short compared to typical musth cycles. Once it passed, he quickly returned to his usual calm self, rejoining the female herd and moving alongside them as normal.

By September, however, the team began noticing a more significant shift. During regular ranger patrols, Dor Khoun Meuang was consistently found alone. While it isn’t unusual for him to spend time apart from the females, these periods of separation have typically been short, with him remaining within about one kilometre of the group. Recently, he has been observed as far as five kilometres away, suggesting he is beginning to explore more widely and assert his independence.

So far, there have been no confirmed sightings of him joining other wild elephants, though occasional brief encounters can’t be ruled out. Each year, locals report the presence of a wild male elephant in the release area, often seen interacting with the female group. This season, however, there have been no recent sightings of that wild bull. The team remains hopeful he is still in the area and may reappear soon, which could lead to fascinating new social dynamics should he and Dor Khoun Meuang cross paths.

As Dor Khoun Meuang matures, his growing independence is a natural and encouraging sign of progress. In time, he may begin to range more widely, perhaps even encountering wild herds such as the one seen near Nakanyang. Should that happen, it would mark an exciting new stage in his rewilding journey and a strong indicator of success for the release program.

For now, his health and condition remain excellent, and the team will continue to closely monitor his movements and behaviour. Dor Khoun Muang’s evolving story is a reminder of the adaptability and resilience of elephants learning to live wild once again and the importance of giving them the freedom to follow their own paths.

Because of you, Dor Khoun Muang’s story of independence and growth continues — thank you for helping him on his journey back to the wild.