Reflections on My Participation in the 40th Annual Elephant Managers Association Conference
October 7-11, 2019, Denver, CO
By AES Grantee,
Dr. Mamatha Sathyanarayana, Mysore, India
Presentation Summary: Fifteen minute presentation started with my self-introduction, continued with power point presentation about the AES supported Asian Elephant Conservation Education and Mahouts Empowering Programmes starting in 2014 till current date.
“Mahouts to Conserve Asian Elephants”
Mahouts play a critical role in elephant conservation programmes in India. Karnataka Forest Department in South India is recruiting mahouts because of the rising trend in Human-elephant conflict in various parts of Karnataka State. In continuation to “Getting along with Elephant” teachers training workshops, a series of mahout’s interaction, briefing, and education programmes were carried out with the support of AES. Its objective was to understand the indigenous knowledge and skills related to elephant management by tribal mahouts who are now with Karnataka Forest Department and further empowering them to act as conservation educators. Sensitizing mahout project has its objective to teach the students living in the conflict area the ways to behave in the presence of problem elephants. This is to avoid injury or killing of elephants and also being injured.
After trying all mitigation measures which did not yield much success and with the existing increase in human population and the need for the natural resources, the only option left is to learn to live with elephants. To achieve this it is essential that we change the attitude of the people. Through mahouts, students can understand the forest ecosystem and problem elephant, which suggests Human-elephant co-existence to the extent possible for the safety of human and elephant. The methodology includes play way learning teaching activities through games, drama, songs, stories, debate, maps, history, politics, personalities, art and mock conferences. How students have increased their tolerance while they are in the vicinity of the problem elephants was climax of this project. Presentation concluded with gratitude expressed to the all supporters.
EMA conference: how did it influence me? This conference gave me insight to the conference theme; non elephant range countries people perspective and important research taking place in relation to EEHV.
For the first time I had an opportunity to witness so many presentations. For the first time I had the opportunity to talk to many elephant keepers and to learn of their various experiences.
This conference also provided an opportunity to showcase my work on the international platform, to those who are supporters of my programmes in India. This conference has given certain experience to share with my fellow educators and mahouts.
This conference has helped me to inculcate required skills in my events.This conference gave the recognition to the works am doing in my home state with selfless efforts.
Last but not the least….. I could understand how much tireless efforts are being put in by the Asian Elephant Support Directors team to support us.
Conclusions: Such conferences and visits gives more ideas to conduct better events in our home state programmes, enriches our knowledge , helps in expanding our network horizons , more than everything makes us more responsible and urges me to render more for the conservation of Asian Elephants.
My sincere heartfelt thanks to the Asian Elephant Support directors for all their encouragement, warmth, and continued support.
