If you have been following AES via Facebook and reading previous newsletters you will know that the CMU Mobile Vet Van that AES donated last year to the Center of Elephant and Wildlife Research has been extremely busy during the covid pandemic. In partnership with the Thai Elephant Alliance Association they have been able to help many camp owners and mahouts take care of their elephants when they would not have otherwise been able to afford veterinary care due to loss of tourism income.
Dr. Khajohnpat Boonprasert, Center of Elephant and Wildlife Research, Chiang Mai University
Since March 2019 the CMU Mobile Vet Van has traveled about 58,430 km (36,306 miles) with 5,000 km (3,106 miles) of that during the covid-19 pandemic. That is a lot of trips and many elephants that have been helped thanks to the donations made to AES to provide the van as well as provide medical supplies during the crisis.
This month Dr. Khajohnpat Boonprasert of the Center of Elephant and Wildlife Research, Chiang Mai University has reported back about 2 of their recent trips.
“Friday July 3: CMU and TEAA staffs went to Mae Jame district for an urgent emergency case. A new born calf had gotten wound in abdominal and its intestines pulled out. We took 4 hours to arrive at the closest village to the calf. Unluckily, the calf died 2 hours before we arrived. Although, we could not save the baby’s life, we provided health care services for the other elephants there, such as a broken tusk case.”
“Monday July 6: Gastrointestinal distress/constipation in Asian elephants
A 45-year-old pregnant female elephant (Pang Tang-Mo) had suffered from GI discomfort in the middle of the night due to GI constipation. She could not pass her stool out normally and gasses in the intestine were continually built-up causing a lot of pain. The mahout team looked after her closely throughout the night. Our team provided intensive treatment with a painkiller, IV fluids, GI stimulants, encouraged movement, and performed rectal enema. She responded to the treatment very well and recovered the following day.
“This problem can be caused by various factors which including improper diet, inappropriate water consumption, low physical activities of elephants, etc. GI constipation/colic can even contribute to the life-threatening to the elephants in some severe cases. So the proper management whether elephant diets or encourage physical activities is very important especially during the COVID-19 pandemic which the activities of the elephant had been changed due to less tourist visiting.”
#ElephantHealthOurHeart
