One of the highlights of 2020, on which AES is proud to report, is our committed veterinarians with Chiang Mai University’s (CMU) Center of Elephant and Wildlife Research Mobile Vet Clinic. In March 2019, AES donated a new, second van in order for Dr Khajohnpat and the CMU veterinarian team to treat more elephants in need of care. Last year, with the global pandemic having wide ranging impacts on elephants, elephant camps, and mahouts, the Mobile Vet Clinic continued their dedication to provide aid to elephants in need, sometimes on an emergency basis.
2020 started off with the team heading to Mae Wang district several times in January and February. On those trips, Dr. Khajohnpat treated a young elephant with a chronic leg wound, a 45 year old elephant with an inflamed leg at Ning Tao camp, and at Mae Elephant Sanctuary, he treated an elephant suffering from colic. By March, a trip to all the camps in the Mae Wang district found him doing health checks with other veterinarians on over 600 elephants!
As the pandemic started to hit Asia, and the Thai government began closing all elephant camps to tourists, Asian Elephant Support donated emergency funds to both the CMU Mobile Vet Clinic and The Thai Elephant Alliance Association. But the van continued making much needed medical trips. Dr. Khajohnpat reported early in the pandemic that many camps that contract elephants and skilled mahouts have allowed them and their elephants to move back to their homes and natural forests. Without income from tourists, camps can’t purchase food for the elephants or pay the mahouts.
During the ensuing months, the CMU team made trips to Huay Pakk Kood in Mae Chaem to treat an elephant with an allergic reaction from eating secretions from Ding Hou tree; to Pai District, Mae Hong Son province to treat an elephant with intestinal discomfort, and who was not eating or drinking; and to Karen Elephant Retreat Camp, Mae Tang district to treat an elephant with an eye injury. And, thanks to the many generous donations we received, the Thai Elephant Alliance Association and the CMU Mobile Vet Clinic were able to distribute free medicine for use on their calls, and assemble 30 First Aid boxes for owners’ use with their elephants.
By mid-year, impacts from the pandemic persisted at elephant camps across Thailand. With help from the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the Thai Elephant Alliance Association, the CMU team made a trip to Mae Chaem district in Chiang Mai to hand out some of the First Aid boxes to elephant owners who had decided to take their elephants home when the camps closed down. The team also traveled to a village to make routine health checks on over 20 elephants that had been relocated due to the pandemic.
The CMU Mobile Vet Clinic made a trip to Mae Rim Elephant Sanctuary to treat constipation in a 45 year old pregnant female. After intense treatment for several days, she recovered. Another pregnant female needed monitoring in Mae Jam district, so Dr. Khajohnpat spent the night and did a physical exam. Ultimately, the mother gave birth, but sadly the calf did not survive. The doctor wrapped up August traveling to Karen Raummit elephant camp in Chiang Rai province for health checks on 21 elephants, and then to Hauy Pak Khud village, Mae Jam district to treat a baby elephant with a trunk injury and a mother elephant who had lost her calf during parturition.
September saw the team respond to several emergency calls, including one with the Thai Elephant Alliance Association, where the doctors spent the night treating an elephant suffering from iron toxicity. Other emergency calls were later in September to the Mae Chaem district, to treat a lame 42 year old elephant, perform a necropsy, and to treat a young, seven year old elephant with symptoms of EEHV.
The demand for veterinary treatments during the pandemic became higher than ever this year. AES was asked to provide support for a second veterinarian to handle the increase. In November, we welcomed Dr. Siripat Khammesri, who obtained his Master’s degree at Chiang Mai University and had worked previously at the Mae-sa camp. With a second veterinarian, the CMU van could now reach farther into northern Thailand. By the end of November, the doctors had traveled to Surin multiple times to treat elephants at a festival, and to a Uthai province Buddhist festival to treat a very young calf with EEHV symptoms. They were also called out to Mae Wang in December to assist a mother and her day old calf to start the suckling process. This trip lasted through the night and into the next morning.
The Mobile Vet Clinic put 22,380km (13,906 miles) on the van in 2020, many on rough and slow country roads, proving how essential their service is to the elephants of Thailand. AES could not be prouder to be a part of this necessary team of critical veterinarians and technicians. Despite the challenges facing them throughout 2020, they continued their mission of providing elephant health care for all who need it.
Because AES is so committed to supporting and sharing our CMU veterinarian’s hard work, we need your help to continue their mission.
