While climbing onto the back of an elephant during a jungle trek in north Thailand, Gemma Jones began to feel uncertain. She had expected a ladder or saddle, but instead found a wooden plank tied to the elephant’s back. Jones, a clinical psychologist and yoga therapist, was on a 15-month trip through south-east Asia, Australia, and New Zealand with two friends. They were taken aback by the size of the elephants, weighing up to 12,000lb (5,400kg) and standing at 12ft tall. As the trek began, Jones felt uncomfortable due to the rolling motion and the sudden stops of the elephant. On the third stop, the mahout’s fearful expression alarmed her. The mahout then fled, and the elephant charged at Jones and her friend Yvette, tossing them to the ground. Jones was caught by her sleeves and trousers while Yvette managed to escape. The elephant towered over Jones and violently threw her multiple times. Eventually, the elephant rolled over Jones, breaking her collarbone, ribs, and pelvis. She was saved by the soft ground and her agility from gymnastics and yoga. In immense pain, Jones was taken to a hospital in Chiang Mai where it was discovered she had internal bleeding and fractures. Despite the severity of her injuries, she did not require surgery. Jones made her first call home to her parents from the hospital, delivering the message that “an elephant broke my glasses.” Her parents arrived two days later, and Jones underwent extensive rehabilitation.
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