Posts Tagged ‘Motala’
Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010
In addition to building prosthetic limbs for elephants (like Mosha and Motala) that step on landmines, the Friends of the Asian Elephant (FAE) Elephant Hospital also treats elephants for everything from illness to injuries.
Elephant Kamnoi pets Baby "Dante" at FAE.
On February 18, 2010 we announced that Soraida Salwala, Founder of the FAE Elephant Hospital and featured in the elephant conservation documentary, The Eyes of Thailand, shared the successful birth of a new baby elephant on February 15. One day later, Kamnoi and her healthy baby boy, whom they’ve since named Dante, arrived at FAE. To read the blog post, click here.
Baby Elephant Dante attempts to nurse at FAE's Elephant Hospital.
I am happy to report that Kamnoi and Dante are continuing to bond, although he sometimes needs to get a boost to reach his mother to nurse!
Baby Dante gets a boost from FAE staff to nurse.
Dr. Preecha and the staff at FAE are also supplementing his mother’s milk with goat’s milk. Soriada wrote to explain:
Mother of Baby “Dante” does not have enough milk. She is feeding him but the milk is not enough. So, when he is still hungry, we feed him with goat milk.
Kamnoi watches as Dr. Preecha feeds Baby Dante at FAE.
Please send good thoughts for Dante to continue to grow to Soraida and her staff at FAE’s Elephant Hospital. We’ll send updates as they come!
Sincerely,
Windy Borman
Director, Producer and Writer, The Eyes of Thailand
Dr. Preecha feeds Baby Dante at FAE.
Tags: animal welfare, asian elephant, asian elephant hospital, D.V.A. Productions, Dante, Dr. Preecha, elephants, Eyes of Thailand, Kamnoi, landmine, Mosha, Motala, prosthetic, Soraida Salwala, Windy Borman
Posted in Notes from Soraida and FAE, Notes from the Director | No Comments »
Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010
On February 26, 2010, Soraida Salwala, Founder of the Friends of the Asian Elephant (FAE) Elephant Hospital and featured in the elephant conservation documentary, The Eyes of Thailand, wrote to share:
Motala and Mosha are the same. Mosha is not happy since she could not wear the prosthetic leg last week. We are looking forward to the new ones being made on The National Elephant Day (13 March).
We look forward to sharing the new pictures of Mosha and Motala, two elephant landmine survivors also featured in The Eyes of Thailand, walking on their new prostheses next week. Please check back after March 13, 2010.
-Windy Borman
Director, Producer and Writer, The Eyes of Thailand
Tags: animal abuse, animal welfare, asian elephant, asian elephant hospital, D.V.A. Productions, documentary, elephants, Eyes of Thailand, Friends of the Asian Elephants, landmine, Mosha, Motala, prosthesis, prosthetic, Soraida Salwala, Windy Borman
Posted in Notes from Soraida and FAE, Notes from the Director | No Comments »
Thursday, February 18th, 2010
In addition to building prosthetic limbs for elephants (like Mosha and Motala) that step on landmines, the Friends of the Asian Elephant (FAE) Elephant Hospital also treats elephants for everything from illness to injuries.
On February 15, 2010, Soraida Salwala, Founder of the FAE Elephant Hospital and featured in the elephant conservation documentary, The Eyes of Thailand, announced the successful birth of a new baby elephant:
A new baby was born at Mae Ping Camp in Chiang Mai last night. The baby weighs only 30 k.m. (same as Tiny). Dr. Preecha reached Pung Noi and her baby before noon. Preparation to transport both the mother and her male baby is being carefully carried out.
On February 16, 2010, Pung Kamnoi and her healthy baby boy arrived at FAE:
Dr. Preecha says the baby looks good. We have the soy milk ready in case his mother is not ready to feed him.
The first photos of the happy mother and baby appear below.
Kamnoi arrives at FAE by truck.
The staff at FAE encourage the wobbly newborn elephant to walk off the truck.
Kamnoi and her healthy baby boy.
Kamnoi and Baby Boy.
We are happy to see Kamnoi and her baby bonding and will share more news and photos as we get them. Please stay tuned!
Sincerely,
Windy Borman
Producer, Director and Writer, The Eyes of Thailand
P.S. The Eyes of Thailand is currently fundraising to edit and distribute the film so we can tell the world about the plight of the Asian Elephants and share the great work that Soraida and her staff do at FAE. To make a tax-deductible donation to the film, please visit our website and click “Donate Now“. It will take you to the secure online donation page for our fiscal sponsor, The San Francisco Film Society. Thank you!
Tags: animal welfare, asian elephant, asian elephant hospital, Chiang Mai, documentary, Dr. Preecha, elephants, Eyes of Thailand, Friends of the Asian Elephants, Kamnoi, landmine, Mosha, Motala, San Francisco Film Society, Soraida Salwala, Windy Borman
Posted in Notes from Soraida and FAE, Notes from the Director | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, December 29th, 2009
Motala and Baby Mosha each received their new prostheses from the Prostheses Foundation. Both Asian Elephants are survivors of landmine accidents and star in the feature-length elephant conservation documentary, The Eyes of Thailand.
Motala stepped on a landmine on August 15, 1999. She received her first prosthetic limb 10 years later, on August 16, 2009. After a brief set-back, she slowly began to put more and more weight on the prosthetic limb as she learned to walk with it. On December 25, 2009, she received a new foot pad for the prosthesis.
The Prostheses Foundation gave Motala's prosthesis a new foot pad.
Mosha stepped on a landmine in June 2006. Because she was younger (only 7 months old), her wounds healed faster and the Prostheses Foundation built a prototype for a prosthetic elephant’s leg for her in June 2008. This is Mosha’s fourth prosthesis and she will need more throughout her lifetime as she continues to grow.
Mosha's new prosthesis, January 2, 2010.
The Prostheses Foundation checked on Mosha’s and Motala’s prostheses on December 22, 2009. Soraida Salwala, founder of the Friends of the Asian Elephant (FAE) Elephant Hospital outside of Lampang, Thailand, expected them to receive their new prostheses on January 2, 2010.
Happy Holidays!
-Windy Borman
Producer, Writer and Director, The Eyes of Thailand
P.S. The Eyes of Thailand is currently accepting donations to edit and distribute the film in 2010. You can make a tax-deductible donation through the film’s fiscal sponsor, the San Francisco Film Society, by clicking here. Thank you for your support!
Tags: animal welfare, asian elephant, asian elephant hospital, D.V.A. Productions, documentary, elephants, endangered, Eyes of Thailand, Friends of the Asian Elephants, landmine, Mosha, Motala, Prostheses Foundation, prosthetic, San Francisco Film Society, Soraida Salwala, Windy Borman
Posted in Notes from the Director | No Comments »
Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009
December 22, 2009– Baby Mosha, a 3-year old Asian Elephant who stepped on a landmine when she was 7-months old, will receive a new prosthetic limb from the Prostheses Foundation at FAE’s Elephant Hospital on January 2, 2010.
Prostheses Foundation measures Mosha's leg before creating the mold.
On August 15, 2009, I filmed her receiving a prosthesis for The Eyes of Thailand documentary film, featuring Soraida Salwala and the Friends of the Asian Elephant (FAE) Elephant Hospital in Lampang, Thailand.
Mosha has grown so much since August that the Prostheses Foundation returned today to make a mold of Mosha’s leg in order to build a new prosthesis, which they will present to her as a New Year present.
As a permanent resident of FAE, Mosha will continue to receive prosthetic limbs throughout her lifetime, which can be as long as 60-80 years.
The Prostheses Foundation unpacks the new prosthesis foot pad for Motala.
While the Prostheses Foundation was at the Elephant Hospital, they checked on Motala and will change her prosthesis’ foot pad on January 2, 2009, also.
-Windy Borman
Producer, Writer and Director, The Eyes of Thailand
P.S. The Eyes of Thailand is currently accepting donations to edit and distribute the film in 2010. You can make a tax-deductible donation through the film’s fiscal sponsor, the San Francisco Film Society, by clicking here.
Tags: animal welfare, asian elephant, asian elephant hospital, documentary, Eyes of Thailand, Friends of the Asian Elephants, landmine, Mosha, Motala, Prostheses Foundation, Soraida Salwala, Thailand, Windy Borman
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Tuesday, October 27th, 2009
The San Francisco Chronicle covered The Eyes of Thailand Work-in-Progress Clip premiere on October 21, 2009. Here is an excerpt:
Having shot movies on four continents, San Francisco filmmaker Windy Borman had seen it all - until she came across the world’s first elephant hospital in Thailand two years ago, where the enormous patients were being treated for everything from eye infections to gunshot wounds. In July, when she heard that some elephants at the hospital, victims of exploding land mines, were getting new legs, Borman raised some quick cash, jumped on a plane and finished shooting “The Eyes of Thailand,” a documentary about the hospital, to be released next year. We caught a clip of the film last week at a post-production fundraiser in North Beach. Trust us: You haven’t seen anything until you’ve watched an Asian elephant in the forest take its first steps on a prosthetic leg. Jaws hit the floor.
To read the rest of the article, add your comments and forward the link, please click here.
Thank you to everyone who came to the post-production fundraiser for The Eyes of Thailand on Oct 21, 2009! The documentary is timely, poignant, heartfelt and needs to be distributed in 2010 to tell the world about the plight of endangered Asian Elephants.
To make an online tax-deductible donation through the film’s fiscal sponsor, The San Francisco Film Society, please visit http://www.eyesofthailand.com and click “Donate Now”.
We are seeking post-production funds to edit and distribute The Eyes of Thailand in 2010. For more information, contact Producer/Director Windy Borman at: info@eyesofthailand.com
Thank you!
Windy Borman
Producer, Writer and Director, The Eyes of Thailand
Tags: animal abuse, animal rights, animal welfare, asian elephant hospital, documentary, endangered, Eyes of Thailand, Friends of the Asian Elephants, landmine, Mosha, Motala, prosthetic, San Francisco Film Society, Soraida Salwala, Windy Borman
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Tuesday, October 20th, 2009
Thai TV news features Motala, an elephant landmine survivor at the Friends of the Asian Elephant hospital in Lampang, Thailand, walking and putting a significant amount of her body weight onto her new prosthetic limb.
Motala puts weight on her prosthesis, as shown on Thai TV news.
This is a wonderful sign after a few issues with her previous prostheses: one crumpled as she tried to stand up, and the “ankle joint” of another fell off while she walked. It appears the Prostheses Foundation has made the necessary adjustments and Motala is trusting the device to hold her as she walks.
If you’d like to witness Motala’s first steps, please join me for the premiere of the new work-in-progress clip of The Eyes of Thailand on Wednesday, October 21, 2009 in San Francisco, CA. For details, click here.
Please note that the production phase of the film is complete and we’re actively raising the “finishing funds” to edit and distribute the documentary in 2010. All donations made at the event, or online through our fiscal sponsor, the San Francisco Film Society, are tax-deductible.
If you cannot attend the event—or wish to make a tax-deductible donation ahead of time—please visit The Eyes of Thailand web page and Click the “Donate Now” link. It will connect you to the secure online donation page for the SFFS.
You can also follow our progress on Facebook, Indiegogo and Twitter.
Thank you for all your continued support and I hope to see you there!
Best,
Windy Borman
Producer, Writer and Director, The Eyes of Thailand
P.S. For those of you outside the San Francisco Bay Area, I will post the new clip on Vimeo for 24 Hours and release the password after the October 21st event. Please stay tuned!
Tags: animal welfare, asian elephant, asian elephant hospital, documentary, elephants, Eyes of Thailand, Friends of the Asian Elephants, landmine, Motala, Prostheses Foundation, Soraida Salwala, Windy Borman
Posted in Notes from the Director | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, September 30th, 2009
Come celebrate an amazing year with the friends and crew of The Eyes of Thailand documentary film!
King of Thai Noodle
1268 Grant Ave
(between Fresno St & Vallejo St)
San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 391-8219
7pm: Start the evening with a Thai-inspired cocktail, order some savory treats, and sample the delicious Elephant Chocolates by Choclatique.
8pm: World Premiere of the new work-in-progress clip of “The Eyes of Thailand”, featuring the August 16, 2009 footage of Mosha and Motala—two elephant landmine survivors—walking on their new prosthetic limbs!
A brief Q&A with Producer/Director Windy Borman will follow, then it’s time for cocktails, mingling and dancing.
Suggested donation: $10.00
Please note that the production phase of the film is complete and we’re actively raising the “finishing funds” to edit and distribute the documentary in 2010. All donations made at the event, or online through our fiscal sponsor, the San Francisco Film Society, are tax-deductible.
If you cannot attend the event—or wish to make a tax-deductible donation ahead of time—please visit The Eyes of Thailand web page and Click the “Donate Now” link. It will connect you to the secure online donation page for the SFFS.
To learn more about the film, read the production blog or view the trailer (different than the new clip we’re unveiling at the party), please visit www.eyesofthailand.com
You can also follow our progress on Facebook, Indiegogo and Twitter.
Thank you for all your continued support and I hope to see you there!
Best,
Windy Borman
Producer, Writer and Director, The Eyes of Thailand
P.S. For those of you outside the San Francisco Bay Area, I will post the new clip on Vimeo for 24 Hours and release the password after the October 21st event. Please stay tuned!
Tags: animal welfare, asian elephant, Choclatique, D.V.A. Productions, documentary, Eyes of Thailand, King of Thai Noodle, landmine, Mosha, Motala, prosthetic, San Francisco Film Society, Windy Borman
Posted in Notes from the Director | 3 Comments »
Wednesday, September 9th, 2009
Baby Namfon walks down to her new nursery near Motala.
Soraida emailed the following update on Baby Namfon, who was rejected by her mother and has been nursed at the FAE Elephant Hospital since this spring, and Motala, the elephant landmine survivor who received her her first prosthetic limb on August 15, 2009–10 years after stepping on a landmine:
Motala is quite interested in Baby Namfon. When Namfon walked down, the baby was only looking for what was new to her. Now, Motala is always watching the Baby and Namfon is fond of playing in the bath tub. She is getting to know Aunty Motala, standing there, talking together and climbs into the bath once again. What a sight!
Asso. Prof. Therdchai and his team [from the Prostheses Foundation] will be here this afternoon to work on Motala’s Prosthetic Leg. Hope the noises from the machines would not scare the Baby.
Soraida
Soraida, Motala and Asso. Prof. Therdchai all appear in the documentary, The Eyes of Thailand. We are currently raising post-production funds to distribute the film in 2010. Please continue to support our efforts by making a tax-deductible donation through the film’s fiscal sponsor, The San Francisco Film Society, by clicking here.
Thank you,
Windy Borman
Producer, Writer and Director, The Eyes of Thailand
Tags: animal welfare, asian elephant, asian elephant hospital, Asso. Prof. Therdchai, D.V.A. Productions, documentary, elephants, Friends of the Asian Elephants, Motala, Namfon, Prostheses Foundation, San Francisco Film Society, Soraida Salwala, Thailand, Windy Borman
Posted in Notes from Soraida and FAE | No Comments »
Tuesday, August 25th, 2009
Below is the email I received from Soraida Salwala, the Founder and Director of the Friends of the Asian Elephant (FAE) Elephant Hospital in Lampang, Thailand, regarding Motala, the elephant who receive her first prosthetic on August 16, 2009 after stepping on a landmine 10 years ago:
Motala’s [first] Prosthetic Leg was dented in three places when she lay down to rest on the ground. The Protheses Foundation made a quick repair to it and Motala is contented even though she has not put her whole weight down yet.
Other elephants are the same and we hope they will recover soon especially Baby Namfon.
Soraida
Motala's dented prosthetic limb.
Please stay tuned for more information at: http://www.eyesofthailand.com
Thank you,
Windy Borman
Producer, Writer and Director, The Eyes of Thailand
Tags: asian elephant, asian elephant hospital, elephants, Eyes of Thailand, Friends of the Asian Elephants, Lampang, Motala, Prostheses Foundation, San Francisco Film Society, Soraida Salwala, Windy Borman
Posted in Notes from Soraida and FAE | No Comments »