Field Update from Dr. Sarma

A field update from Dr. Kushal Sarma:

I have just returned from a hectic trip. An elephant corridor was mistakenly allotted for an industry.  The fallout: a two month old calf falls into a 12’ ditch dug for construction of a shed.  The mother tries to rescue the baby and also falls in.  Another female comes to their rescue and also falls into the ditch.  The third elephant was not injured much and when machinery sliced off one side of the ditch, she was able to move out.  The mother of the calf had head injuries and was unconscious until I arrived.  Triamcinolone acetonide, mannitol and neurotropic vitamins did not help.  It was determined her lumbar spine was broken and she had a cerebral concussion.  She could not be saved.  The calf was rescued and sent to a rescue center as he needed to be fed formula.

The following two days I organized health camps for 14 private elephants: 4 in Sonitpur district and 10 tourist elephants Kalita’s camp at Kaziranga National Park. There were two minor operations as well as the regular deworming and vaccinations.”

While we wish all field updates had happy outcomes that sadly is not the reality of the Asian elephant in range countries today.   We are happy to be able to help Dr. Kushal and all the caring and dedicated veterinarians we work with – who are there to help, regardless the situation – and thank you so very much for your support!

Elephant and Tiger Workshop

Regional Asian Elephant and Tiger Veterinary Workshop in Kerala, India

Dr. Arun Zachariah1, 2; Heidi S. Riddle3

1 Centre for Wildlife Studies, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Science University; 2 Department of Forest and Wildlife, Government of Kerala; 3 Asian Elephant Support

Elephant and tiger veterinarians from around Asia participated in the Regional Asian Elephant and Tiger Veterinary Workshop held in Pookode, Kerala, India, from February 1-4, 2016.  This Workshop was jointly hosted by the Centre for Wildlife Studies, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Science University, and the Department of Forest and Wildlife, Government of Kerala. The Workshop was supported by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Asian Elephant Conservation Fund in collaboration with Asian Elephant Support.

The Regional Asian Elephant and Tiger Veterinary Workshop continued the efforts of two earlier regional Workshops hosted in Aceh, Sumatra-Indonesia in March 2012, and in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar in March 2014.  These Workshops build local and regional capacity in elephant veterinary care which improves the expertise needed for effective wildlife conservation in Asia. The Kerala Workshop included tiger health issues to broaden the scope of wildlife health and strengthen the capacity of field veterinarians in range countries.  Asian elephants and tigers are highly endangered and in threat of local extinction in some range countries.  Veterinary expertise is important to conservation efforts, especially at the interface of wildlife, humans, and livestock, and for mitigating human-wildlife conflicts.  The Regional Asian Elephant and Tiger Veterinary Workshop addressed wildlife health from the ecosystem perspective and discussed topics such as disease spill over from humans and/or livestock to wildlife, emerging diseases and/or disease prevalence, as well as reducing stressors in the environment.

Evidence of emerging diseases in wildlife has already been established in Kerala.  Furthermore, in the past two years, Kerala experienced more than 200 cases of elephant and tiger conflict incidents causing loss to human life, property, and agriculture; 44 of these incidents required health and veterinary expertise.  Wildlife health studies have been ongoing in this region, and this Workshop served as a catalyst for networking with the wider regional communities of wildlife health experts in Asia.

Presentations covered not only veterinary issues but also broader topics of human-wildlife conflicts, Asian elephant and tiger ecology and behavior, and also introduced Siberian tiger health issues.  The Regional Asian Elephant and Tiger Veterinary Workshop hosted almost 70 participants, including representatives from many of the Asian elephant and tiger range countries such as India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand, as well as veterinarians from Great Britain, and U.S.

The Workshop offered a field visit to a nearby protected area, Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, which has wild populations of elephants and tigers.  Additionally a Forest Department elephant camp is located in the Reserve.  Participants were able to view wild elephants during a drive through the Reserve.  At the elephant camp, Forest Department staff discussed the camp elephant management and feeding strategies, as well as elephant health issues.  This visit was a unique opportunity for participants to see the traditional use of Forest Department elephants in a protected area in India, and discuss the comprehensive veterinary program that the Department has in place for these working elephants.

These Regional Veterinary Workshops underscore the importance of veterinary science for wild and captive elephant and tiger conservation in Asian range countries.  As a result of these three workshops, there is better communication amongst wildlife veterinarians in Asia, and the sharing of information and experiences has increased.  Additionally several field course initiatives to continue practical training opportunities for wildlife veterinarians in Asia have resulted from these Workshops.

2015 Sonepur Mela

Billboard advertising the Sonepur Mela

A GATHERING OF ELEPHANTS: The Sonepur Mela, Bihar, India
 

The Sonepur Mela, also known as the Harihar Kshetra Mela, is held every year during November-December and is Asia’s largest cattle fair.  The major attraction is the trading of livestock such as horses, bulls, buffaloes, camels, dogs, and birds.  Elephants are also a special attraction of the Mela.  

Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) has been conducting health camps for captive elephants in the town of Sonepur since 2001 and AES was able to help support the 2015 health care camp.  Attendance has been spiraling downward from 92 elephants in 2001 to only 14 in 2015, a decline of 84% in 14 years. This is mainly due to increasing regulations regarding the movement, sale, and trading of captive elephants.  

During the Mela, WTI will de-worm all the elephants, treat any minor wounds, and give the mahouts instructions on foot care.  Data is also collected each year to record the status of elephants participating in the Mela.  Responses from owners and mahouts showed that the average length of time a mahout cares for the same elephant is 4.18 years, which is not considered sufficient for good bonding between mahout and elephant.  However, all elephants were reported to be obedient and none of elephants had any history of killing or injuring a mahout.  Of the data collected, one was a temple elephant, four worked in the tourist industry, and six were unemployed.  All elephants had some sort of shelter at their area of residence, both day and night.  All except one was off tether for at least some portion of each day and the mahouts claimed all the elephants are walked during the day.  Only one elephant was kept in a group of more than one elephant, 11 have some opportunity to interact with other elephants, and three could not interact with other elephants.

Mahouts take measurements on a bull to estimate weight

While the results of the information gathered at the Mela leave us with at least as many questions as answers provided, it is important to track such statistics as we consider the current status and future of India’s magnificent Asian elephants.  If you would like to read more the report from the 2015 Sonepur Mela, please visit our website here.  Our thanks to YOU, our donors, for supporting these efforts.

Snare Victim - Bull Calf Jun

A story of collaboration, teamwork, and the paying forward of helping range country vets grow their abilities to help Asian elephants:

In 2014, Asian Elephant Support (AES) funded two veterinarians to educational workshops:  Dr. Vanthinh Pham from Vietnam to a workshop in Sri Lanka, and Dr. Khajohnpat Boonprasert (“Dr. Yeaw”), from Thailand, to the EEHV workshop held in the United States. Dr. Yeaw’s trip was funded both by AES and the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation (GTAEF).

Fast forward to 2015:
On the 19th of February, 2015, a young wild male elephant, since named Jun, was discovered by Yok Don National Park officials.  Dr. Vanthinh Pham and his team from the Dak Lak Elephant Conservation Center in Vietnam rescued him with care.

Jun was quite aggressive and Dr. Pham had difficulty effectively treating his moderately infected would that began getting worse.  Dr. Pram sought assistance from veterinarians experienced in treating such injuries and as well as help in training Jun with positive reinforcement to allow for safe treatment.

Dr. Khajohnpat Boonprasert (“Dr. Yeaw”), of The Elephant Conservation Center (TECC) in Lampang, Thailand, along with two of their highly experienced mahouts, traveled to Dak Lak Elephant Conservation Center in Vietnam April 18th-25th.  Dr. Yeaw performed the initial surgical debridement, then guiding Dr. Pham in an additional debridement surgery.  The TECC mahouts showed their Vietnamese counterparts how to safely and humanely train Jun to accept further medical care.  And again, AES and GTAEF joined forces to fund this effort.

As of this writing Jun appears to be getting better, with both Dr. Yeaw and Dr. Pham happy with the progress. Dr Pham is better at handling him, now working on finding a way to get blood tests done.  And two veterinarians, in two different countries but sharing the same concern for Asian elephants, are now reaching across the border, sharing knowledge and helping.  We are delighted to see this story unfold, both that Jun is receiving help and that our investment in each of these gentlemen is paying itself forward in exactly the manner the Asian elephant needs.  

We are pleased to be able to share this effort with you and, as always, thank YOU for your support, without which we would not be able to make a difference.

Hope for Elephants in India!

Our collaborative campaign with Hope Elephants, “Partners for Pachyderms”, has come to an end and we are thrilled to say it was a success!  We surpassed our goal and raised $2105 for Dr. Kushal Sarma’s Elephant Healthcare and Emergency Response Program in Assam, India.  We are truly grateful to everyone that has made it possible for Dr. Sarma to continue his  amazing work for these elephants. 

Field Update - Snare Victim Yekti

In our January 2014 newsletter, AES announced our 3 year commitment to the Veterinary Society for Sumatran Wildlife Conservation (VESSWIC). We would like to share an update on a couple of elephant projects from our VESSWIC partners.

The Sumatran elephant is listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as critically endangered, but every birth gives us hope for the future of this species.  On January 16, 2014 at the Way Kambas Elephant Conservation Center, the elephant Mela, gave birth to a healthy male calf weighing approximately 200 pounds.  This was Mela’s second calf.Unfortunately, she attacked and killed her first calf in 2011 immediately after it was born. This time she was a bit nervous, but remained reasonably calm towards the calf. After a short time she accepted the calf and allowed it to nurse. Two months later, she has adapted well to her role as a mother and the calf is doing well.

Back in November 2013, a female calf was rescued from the wild with a serious wire snare injury to her front left leg. VESSWIC provided the medical supplies for her treatment and is also providing food and milk supplements.  They are happy to report that the calf, named Yekti, is also doing well.

Human-elephant conflict (HEC) is still a growing problem for both humans and elephant in Sumatra, Indonesia.  In January VESSWIC Elephant Healthcare Program veterinarians assisted the Nature Conservation Agency and Frankfurt Zoological Society and fitted two wild elephants with GPS collars.  This is part of an HEC monitoring program that is being conducted in the Bukit Tiga Puluh forest area in the province of Jambi.

By working together, we can make a difference in the health, welfare, and conservation of elephants in Asian range countries.  AES is proud to support these dedicated individuals who are working hard every day.