A NEW CHAPTER FOR THE THAI ELEPHANT AND ITS MAHOUT:
THE SEARCH FOR SOLUTIONS
RETURN TO THE WILD
Following generations of domestication, the domesticated elephant is totally dependent on the mahout for its survival. A return to the wild is easier said than done and the release of elephants back into the wild, without adequate preparation, is cause for concern.
With a population of 2,000+ domesticated elephants, equivalent to almost half of the country's total elephants, it is not unusual to have several generations of elephants being born in captivity. As a result of the domestication of elephants over several consecutive generations, domesticated elephants that are simply abandoned or released into the wild without preparation lack essential jungle survival skills and will not be able to find food on its own or fend for itself. The loss of its inherent sense of the dangers that exist in the wild renders the elephants highly vulnerable to snake-bites and attacks from other large predators, such as tigers. The slightest injury can prove to be fatal because, unless treated, the elephant is likely to succumb to infection. Any injury and subsequent infection of the elephant's trunk results in starvation and a slow death as the animal is unable to feed itself. Additionally, given their familiarity with Homo sapiens, they have lost their fear of humans. This increases the likelihood of elephants seeking out convenient sources of food in orchards, plantations and farms, bringing upon them the risk of being shot or poisoned.
Preparation is a time-consuming and costly undertaking and there is no assurance of success in every case. While Thailand has seen several notable successes in its efforts to release elephants back into the wild as demonstrated in the project - "A New World for Elephants", and the elephant release project in Lampang and Lamphun, not all of the candidates of such programmes have made the transition. Well-documented accounts of the attempt to free Keiko, the world's most famous whale and the star of the hit movie Free Willy, offer a poignant illustration of this fact.
Mr Richard Lair, a leading authority on the Asian elephant who has devoted over twenty years working with the animals and studying conservation problems across Asia, and currently advisor to the National Elephant Institute (NEI) in Lampang, Thailand explains.
"Because most (domesticated) Thai elephants are taken out at night to feed and rest in nature, held only be a tethering chain, perhaps two out of three are preconditioned to the wild would survive, if released, either to restock areas where wild elephants have been made extinct, to bolster declining wild numbers, or to correct an imbalance between the sexes. It is as if there were thousands of tigers or Sumatran rhinos or any other endangered species being kept by villagers in anticipation of release, a resource unique in wildlife conservation."
- THE ELEPHANT RELEASE PROJECT
This is a joint project of The Royal Household, the Third Division Army, Lampang and Lamphun Provinces, The Royal Forest Department, the World Wildlife Fund, and the Smithsonian Institution. Smithsonian Institution.
The target area is the wildlife refuge at Doi Pa Muang, and the provinces of Lampang and Lamphun. In preparing elephants for release, a medical check-up is conducted, vital statistics recorded, and a signalling radio collar is attached. The elephants are then taken out to the target area and released. They gradually adapt to life in the Doi Pa Muang Conservation Area, and learn how to live in the wild state. Their behaviour, their adaptation and their movements are studied from signals sent by the radio satellite collar. A follow-up is made every month.
- "A NEW WORLD FOR ELEPHANTS" PROJECT
"A New World for Thai Elephants" was a tribute to His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej on the auspicious occasion of His Majesty the King's 6th Cycle Birthday Anniversary in 1999 initiated by the residents of Lampang Province.
The project involved the proposal of short and long term solutions to the problems facing Thailand's elephants, which included the preparation of areas to receive retired domestic elephants from various locations. A total of 72 elephants were acquired by the project to serve, for example, as release animals, as breeders, as retired animals, and animals to be trained for appropriate work.
Mr Lair further points out that as a single elephant in the wild will need approximately 8,000 acres or 3,200 hectares to survive, there is little choice but to keep more than half of the country's approximately 4,000 remaining elephants in captivity.
Some progress is being made in efforts to recover and restore natural habitats for elephant. In 1998, Treasure Our Elephants Fund - Foundation for the Conservation of Northern Elephants was able to collect sufficient donations to subsidize the relocation of illegal squatters from 200 rai (80 acres) of Forestry Department land adjacent to the FIO's Thai Elephant Conservation Center in Lampang province. The land is now being restored for use by elephants by planting both food and medicinal vegetation. In 1999, the Foundation recovered an additional 200 rai of habitat adjacent to the first area. As the recovery and restoration of the elephants' natural habitats is fundamental to the success of any long-range strategy for saving Thai elephants, the work being undertaken in this area continues.
NATURAL HABITATS
Elephants are sensitive to heat and fare better in habitats that are relatively cool and sheltered from the tropical sun. Hence they are found in greater numbers near wooded areas with brooks and streams. While there are a few elephants in almost every province of Thailand, especially where there is an abundance of grass and water, two-thirds of the total elephant population in Thailand are found in the cooler north.
SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We take this opportunity to sincerely thank Ms Bilaibhan Sampatisiri, President of Treasure Our Elephants Fund - Foundation for the Conservation of Northern Elephants, Mr Chanatt Lauhawatana, Managing Director of the Forest Industry Organization, the parent organization of the National Elephant Institute of Thailand, and Mr Richard Lair, a leading authority on the Asian elephant who has devoted over twenty years working with the animals and studying conservation problems across Asia, author of "Gone Astray: The Care and Management of the Asian Elephant in Domesticity" and currently advisor to the National Elephant Institute (NEI) in Lampang, Thailand, for the kind advice and guidance, tremendous insight and enthusiastic support extended to News Room on this special feature. All images © National Elephant Institute.
Sources of Reference
- The National Elephant Institute
Forest Industry Organization
A New Hope for Elephant Conservation
www.thaielephant.net
- Treasure Our Elephants-
Foundation for the Conservation of Northern Elephants
- The Elephant in Thai Life and Legend
Published by Monsoon Editions Ltd. Partnership
ISBN 974-86302-9-3
- "Important Elephants of the Nation"
from the chapter on elephants by Saimai Jobkolsuk
in "Suriyothai" produced by Khunying Busaya Snidvongs na Ayudhya
ISBN 974-272-379-6
- "Running out of elephants" and "Concern for national animal"
by Supradit Kanwanich, Bangkok Post/Perspective - Sunday, January 12, 2003
- Elephant Help Project
http://www.elephanthelp.org/
- http://www.welcome-to.chiangmai-chiangrai.com/elep-nationalday.htm
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