Update on Baby Mocha

Mocha on arrival

On May 14, 2023, there was a strong cyclone named Mocha in western Myanmar. A little orphan calf was found that day and thus named after the cyclone. 
 
We are happy to report that baby Mocha is thriving under the care of our partners at an elephant camp in Yangon. Can you tell a difference between when she arrived and now? 
 
We are proud to support our partners in Myanmar who always have the care and future of Asian elephants as their first priority.
 
HELP us provide support for supplemental formula for Mocha and other orphaned calves by donating today.  

  Mocha today

AES Supports Workshop Focused on Conservation in Myanmar

With funding from Asian Elephant Support, the Elephant Emergency Response Unit (EERU) in Myanmar under the Myanma Timber Enterprise (MTE) recently held a three-day workshop. EERU staff and MTE veterinarians participated. Delegates listened to presentations from each EERU team, learned about Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus (EEHV) and forensic wildlife investigations from veterinarians, and learned, hands on, how to build electric fencing to prevent wild elephants from entering cropland as well as how to use cellphones to capture the best photographic evidence. 

Electrical current being tested on a fence designed to prevent crop raiding & Human-Elephant Conflict

 
Asian Elephant Support is grateful for the EERU teams in Myanmar who patrol and monitor areas to help prevent Human-Elephant Conflict. 

Members of the EERU in Myanmar

 
You can help AES sponsor workshops just like this one by donating here www.asianelephantsupport.org/donate or via Venmo @asianelephantsupport. Thank you!

Myanmar Calf Update

If you followed AES's updates last year, you may remember the case of the calf born in Myanmar whose mother was unable to nurse him. Thanks to support from the Little Rock Zoo, AES was able to send funds to provide milk and supplemental food to ensure the calf's survival. 

We were happy to receive these latest photos from our friends and partners at the Life of Oozie Village Ecohut this past week and hear that the calf and his adoptive mother and sibling are all thriving. 

We honestly can't think of a better update to start off the New Year than this!

UPDATE: Emergency Aid Sent to Myanmar

In June 2022 we told you about a female calf who required assistance because her mother was unable to nurse her. The calf was paired up with another new calf and his mother in order to be able to feed, however she still required supplemental formula to ensure her survival. We are pleased to report that with support from AES and the Little Rock Zoo, the young female is doing well!

The mother elephant is receiving additional food twice a day to assist her in producing enough milk for her natural-born and adoptive calf and the two youngsters also receive extra food three times each day to help sustain them. Our partners at the Life at Oozie Village Ecohut send their appreciation to AES donors for their life-saving support.

Repairs to Myanmar Elephant Hospital Now Complete

In August 2020 we received an emergency request from the Elephant Hospital camp in Myanmar, a partner we have been supporting for several years. Due to heavy rains, a flash flood hit the camp one night and caused a lot of damage, in particular to the veterinary camp equipment and to the solar power system for the camp. Luckily no elephants or staff were injured.

We provided funds to repair the electrical system but right about that time the country went into lockdown due to Covid-19 and it was no longer possible for technical support staff to travel to the camp and repair the equipment.

Now we can share some good news. After one and a half years, the solar power has recently been completely fixed and the camp once again has power.

Additional precautions were taken in the event of future floods. Batteries and other solar power equipment were moved to the roof area, out of reach from water and curious elephants, alike.  

THANK YOU to the camp staff who worked very hard to clean up and install new equipment and to our field partner Life in Oozie Village Ecohut for their assistance in purchasing new batteries and converters and for arranging technical support to travel to the camp and repair the system!

Emergency Aid Sent to Myanmar

Recently, we received an emergency request for support from our field partner, Life in Oozie Village Ecohut, in Myanmar.

The Elephant Hospital camp there, welcomed the birth of a baby elephant this Spring, but unfortunately her mother is not able to produce milk. The staff paired the new mother and baby with another female elephant who has a slightly older calf.The “bonus” mother elephant allows the new calf to nurse from her, but her own calf has to be closely watched. The new calf is being given supplemental feedings and we were able to provide emergency funds to purchase the formula.

We are so grateful for the efforts of the Elephant Hospital camp staff who work tirelessly to provide care for endangered elephants in Myanmar. Stay tuned next month for an update on the rebuild of the Elephant Hospital following devastating floods in 2020 that you also helped to support!Since Asian Elephant Support is a small non-profit, we can quickly respond to emergency requests such as this one. But we still need your support with donations. Consider becoming a Monthly Donor today so we can send life-saving funds whenever and wherever needed.

AES Supports Flood Relief at Myanmar Elephant Camp

In early August, monsoon rains caused massive flooding throughout Myanmar, displacing 80,000 people from their homes and destroying property. AES soon learned that the Myanmar Elephant Hospital camp was terribly affected. While thankfully no elephant or human lives were lost at the camp, mahouts’ homes were damaged, the hospital’s equipment was destroyed and sadly livestock were killed.

Waters rose more than six feet above the river bank, impacting the Elephant Hospital camp’s solar power system, which humans and elephants rely on for basic needs. Solar panels, on the roofs of buildings were spared, but inverters and relay equipment were entirely lost.

The estimated cost for replacing the necessary equipment to get the power back up and running is $3,000. In addition to that, funds will be necessary to replace nearly all of the hospital equipment. Crews are working now to bring everything back on line to sustain the camp and its residents. As we all are aware, with the ecotourism industry hobbled during the pandemic, there is little help to assist in the recovery from this devastating event.

The Little Rock Zoo Foundation and AES have previously partnered to support the ongoing work at the Myanmar Elephant Hospital camp. When AES shared the news of the flooding and destruction with them, the Little Rock Zoo Foundation stepped up and provided $2,000 for relief assistance.

AES is committed to providing the remaining necessary funds for reconstruction of the camp’s electrical system. We are looking to you, our supporters and elephant-lovers to help us deliver on our promise. Please consider a donation to this emergency project and visit our website at www.asianelephantsupport.org.

The dedicated people at the Myanmar Elephant Hospital camp have expressed their gratitude for the support provided by AES and the Little Rock Zoo Foundation.  We look forward to sharing with everyone an update on the completion of this project in coming months.

With heavy equipment unavailable, elephants' incredible strength can be employed during disaster recovery efforts in range countries. Seen here, one of the Hospital Camp's elephants moves the massive solar batteries from the flood debris. 

Myanmar Vets' to Thailand

Asian Elephant Health and Breeding Management Course in Thailand: Report for Asian Elephant Support

In the online part of the course (22 April to 24 May 2019), we learned about anatomy, physiology, nutrition, endocrinology, ultrasonography, anesthesia, restraint, and breeding and parturition management of Asian elephants.

In June we participated in a 5-day practical course in northern Thailand. The first day (10 June) we had lectures on health care management, endotheliotropic herpes virus, nutrition, plasma transfusion and blood cross match at Chiang Mai University in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.

The next days were practical training and demonstrations at the National Elephant Institute in Lampang, and Elephant Rehabilitation center, Pang Lah. On 11 June we had presentations on common health problems, tuberculosis, nutrition, and case studies in Sri Lanka and Thailand. From 12 to 14 June we studied rehabilitation, obesity, welfare, anesthesia, practiced using an elephant-like ultrasonography, semen collection, semen evaluation, estrus detection, reproductive hormone monitoring and calf management after parturition etc.

From this trip, we got the opportunity to hear a lot of elephant information and we got to share knowledge regarding elephant health care management from different regions. Therefore, your support is absolutely effective for us and for taking care of our elephants.

Finally, we would like to express our sincere thanks to Asian Elephant Support for your kind support for our trip. Without your support we could not benefit from this training.

Best regards,

Dr. Moe Win Tun
Dr. Zaw Min Htun

Myanmar Elephant Care Workshop

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In September 2018 we were able to help fund Dr. Pham Van Thinh from the Daklak Elephant Conservation Center in Vietnam to travel to Myanmar for “An Elephant Healthcare and Welfare Workshop.”  The focus of the workshop was to educate and demonstrate how positive reinforcement can be used in conjunction with veterinary care by adding familiarity and reward to novel situations. There were 25 participants from 13 different countries that met at the Green Hill Valley in Myanmar.  Participating countries included: Indonesia, Laos, Nepal, India, Myanmar, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Netherlands, US, England, Germany, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

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This week long course provided hands on training for the participants with topics ranging from basic body condition exams to diseases and treatment.  Much like humans, preventive and routine screenings play a vital role in healthcare. For these sometimes daily and non daily occurrences, training can be used with elephants to promote a positive experience towards their own healthcare. The workshop was also able to cover routine preventative topics such as foot care management while including more in depth discussions such as sedation, medication dosing, and blood analysis.  Pham Van Thinh was able to bring home new information he gained to Vietnam and meet new colleagues and friends.

Hospital Grounds Updates: Fresh Water, School, Grass Plantation

AES is delighted to share this report recapping their past efforts with the elephant hospital in Myanmar. We have been able to financially support this project for over two years due to YOUR generous contributions:

Main Hospital

We constructed the elephant hospital which was funded by AES in 2014. This is the first building for treating and dispensing medication to sick elephants in Myanmar. This hospital is intended for all elephants; not just government elephants but also for privately owned elephants whose owners want to have their health assessed.

AES also funded this shelter where we can keep the sick or the babies and mother elephants under the shade of this building.

Infirmary

The grass was planted last year and the grass plantation was widened this year by about one acre by the mahouts. This grass is intended for babies or infirm elephants at the hospital.

Grass Plantation

AES funded water resources in 2016 not only for the elephants but also for mahouts’ families in that area. Clean water pumped from this well is used not only for washing and cooking but for drinking as well. The water tank can store about 800 or 900 gallons.

Water line to hospital

This is the primary school for mahouts’ children who are living at the elephant hospital. The school teachers’ salaries are provided by the Myanma Timber Enterprise. The funds for this building were provided by AES in 2016. During the 2016 academic year, we had five primary school children and more than five preschool children in attendance.

Elephant Hospital

The Elephant Hospital

The Myanmar Elephant Hospital is situated in the Bago (East) region in the central part of the country. It is located 138 miles from the city of Yangon and 40 miles from the city of Taungoo. The hospital was constructed by the Myanma Timber Enterprise (MTE) under the Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry.

There are four MTE elephant agencies in Bago (East) and three agencies in Bago (West) for a total of approximately 400 captive elephants in the region. Besides these elephants, the hospital will help other elephants from the Nay Pyi Taw and Ayeyarwaddy regions, as well as privately owned elephants.

The area surrounding the hospital has approximately 6000 acres of forest for elephants, and some wild elephants use this forest. The hospital land sits on both sides of a small river.

The objectives of the Myanmar Elephant Hospital are as follows:

1. To provide good elephant health care,

2. To enable elephant research with local and international experts and other range countries in Asia,

3. To provide care for old or disabled captive elephants,

4. To promote elephant conservation and forest protection.

In the Myanmar Elephant Hospital area, there are 30 houses for Mahouts (elephant handlers) and their families, and one main hospital building.

Mahout Housing

In addition to the buildings, more than 500 plants (multiple species) have been planted around the hospital grounds. Nurseries for trees and plants will be established so that the area can be replanted every year. Fodder plants for elephant food will be grown on site.

During the first phase of construction, Asian Elephant Support provided funds to purchase building supplies and equipment, and to install a water resource system for the hospital building and the mahout living area consisting of wells and pipes. Solar panels for electricity for the hospital and mahout houses have been donated by the local community.

Water system for hospital, school, and homes

Elephant Foot Care Session

Since 2013 Asian Elephant Support has been collaborating and supporting training of staff in elephant camps managed by the Myanma Timber Enterprise (MTE) in Burma (now called Myanmar).  This includes supporting the training of veterinarians, veterinary assistants, camp managers, mahouts, and timber rangers in the camps, and includes topics such as elephant health and husbandry, field navigation with GPS and maps, recording and recordkeeping of data, and exchanges with staff from similar programs in other Asian countries.

To continually improve the management and health care of their captive elephants, MTE conducted a training workshop for veterinarians, veterinary assistants, and mahouts from September 14 to 20, 2015. Invited presenters were Dr. Christopher Stremme, elephant veterinarian from Indonesia and elephant manager Heidi Riddle.  The workshop was facilitated by Dr. Zaw Min Oo, Assistant Manager, MTE Veterinary Services.

The workshop started on September 14 at the MTE training school in Taungoo, Bago region. During the first day lectures were given on differences between Asian and African elephants, captive elephant management in western facilities, training elephants for foot care, elephant foot anatomy and physiology, elephant foot problems and diseases, as well as treatment and prevention. Participants in the session included 18 veterinary assistants and 12 mahouts. From September 15-20 the session was continued in the Phokyar elephant camp close to the town of Taungoo.

During this time practical demonstrations using the camp elephants were given about training elephants for foot care and conducting foot care. From the second day on the participants were divided into 4 groups; two elephants with their mahouts were assigned to each group. The groups were supervised to start training their elephants and to conduct basic foot care procedures. Participants were extremely interested, enthusiastic, and participated very well in the practical activities. By the end of the session all the elephants used during the practical part were able to be handled for basic foot care, and the participants seemed to have gotten a good basic understanding of the principles of elephant foot care. Foot care tools donated earlier in the year by the Elephant Managers Association and by AES were given to all participants of the session and to mahouts from the Phokyar camp to enable them to continue this elephant care after the session ended.

In addition to the Phokyar elephant camp, two other camps (Myaing Hay Wun and Green Hill Valley) managing MTE elephants were visited. Captive elephant management and foot care topics were discussed via presentations and practical demonstrations. Foot care tools were also distributed to mahouts in these camps.

Further collaborations including training and knowledge exchange between elephant management programs and staff from Myanmar and other Asian elephant range countries (i.e. Sumatra-Indonesia) are planned for the future.

Mahouts Benefit from our Caring

In collaboration with two other elephant organizations, Asian Elephant Support (AES) recently supported the daily work of mahouts at an elephant timber camp in Myanmar via a donation to the mahouts of much needed equipment: backpacks for use during patrols.

 An AES partner organization, the International Elephant Foundation (IEF), supports staff training at the Myaing Hay Wun camp. During a recent visit in early December, IEF provided training to the camp staff in GPS use and field navigation with colleagues from Sumatra-Indonesia who have expertise in GPS training: Edy Sunardi, Manager Tangkahan Conservation Response Units (CRU), and Zul Asfi, Field Project Manager, Veterinary Society for Sumatran Wildlife Conservation (VESSWIC). Edy and Zul instructed the Myanmar mahouts (via presentations and hands on practical work) in GPS use, field navigation, and data collection (i.e. wildlife monitoring, illegal activities, human-elephant conflict, etc.) while on patrol. The Myanmar staff were very interested and involved in the training. In the evenings presentations were given to the mahouts on various topics such as elephant management in western elephant facilities, and the work of the elephant patrols (Conservation Response Units) in Sumatra.

In addition to the backpacks presented by AES, the mahout staff at the camp also received uniforms and GPS units from IEF, as well as elephant foot care tools from the Elephant Managers Association. The Myanmar mahouts were very appreciative of the donated items and the training, and they look forward to continuing an exchange of information with elephant colleagues, both in Asia and the west.

Elephant Veterinarians Sharing Knowledge in Myanmar

Second Regional Asian Elephant Veterinary Workshop Participants

In March 2014, Asian Elephant Support (AES) collaborated with other organizations to host the Second Regional Asian Elephant Veterinary Workshop in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar. This workshop was hosted by the University of Veterinary Science and the Myanmar Timber Enterprise and was funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Asian Elephant Conservation Fund.

Bath time at Pinloung timber camp.

Workshop participants were veterinarians from around Asia who have field experience in elephant health and medicine. Participants represented several Asian elephant range countries including India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.  Other guest speakers came from Singapore and the United States.  The presentations covered general elephant health issues, disease management, and foot care, while the practical sessions addressed laboratory protocols and wildlife immobilization. In addition, the workshop provided participants with the opportunity to visit several elephant facilities in the area, including the zoo and a working timber camp.  One of the highlights for the participants was the chance to see the sacred white elephants, which are housed in a special pavilion in Nay Pyi Taw.

Veterinarians from Sri Lanka and Nepal share experiences.

AES helped host the first regional veterinary workshop in Sumatra, Indonesia, in March 2012. These regional workshops are an important opportunity for elephant veterinarians to network and to share  experience and information. By continuing to provide these educational opportunities and by providing support for medical equipment and supplies in Myanmar, AES is demonstrating our continued commitment to improve the health of wild and captive elephants in Asia. We believe in the power of education. Helping people help elephants is a powerful way to brighten the future of Asian elephants!  If you share our belief that support for educational opportunities is important to maximize learning and communication for veterinarians and other elephant care givers, please consider making a donation today.

Refrigerator donated by AES to store elephant medicine and samples

Waiting for medical check-up at Pinloung timber camp.

Support of Veterinary Care for Myanmar's Timber Elephants

An important part of Asian Elephant Support’s (AES) mission is to support veterinary care for elephants in Asian range countries. Through interactions with elephant veterinarians from around Asia during the AES facilitated Regional Asian Elephant Veterinary Workshop held in Banda Aceh, Sumatra-Indonesia in March 2012, AES has made many connections and continues to support the development of veterinary expertise with elephants in Asia.

Ultrasound assessment to detect pregnancy

In December 2012, this networking helped AES facilitate a visit to Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) by several elephant veterinarians and managers. The group’s visit was hosted by the Myanma Timber Enterprise (MTE), a government agency that oversees the care and management of approximately 3000 elephants in Myanmar. This country has a large number of captive elephants that are still used for logging work in the forests.

During the trip, several MTE forest camps around the country were visited; these included logging, training, and rest camps. The overall care and management of these working elephants is closely monitored, and MTE has a large staff of well-qualified veterinarians who were most welcoming, sharing experiences and expertise with the visiting veterinarians. A particular interest for the MTE veterinarians was learning more about the use of ultrasound technology in elephants. One of the AES supported veterinarians brought a field ultrasound unit, enabling practical demonstrations of its use in a variety of medical issues such as detecting pregnancy, evaluating medical conditions such as abscesses or tumors, and assessing some internal organs. The group had numerous fruitful discussions with MTE staff to determine how best to help support ongoing care and management of the elephants in this country.

In addition to facilitating the sharing of professional experiences, AES was pleased to make a contribution enabling the purchase of needed medicines and supplies for the timber elephants of Myanmar, and looks forward to being of further assistance to this important population of Asian elephants.