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.

ElefantAsia Update

In the past two years, Asian Elephant Support has made donations for medical supplies to ElefantAsia, a French nonprofit organization operating in Laos that is dedicated to protecting Asian elephants.  In December 2012, the AES president made her first visit to Laos to see some of the work we have supported.

The destination was the Elephant Conservation Center (ECC) in Sayaboury, Laos.  The ECC is a privately owned entity that provides funding for the first elephant hospital in Laos.  ElefantAsia has partnered with the ECC and makes up any shortfall in this funding.  ElefantAsia also funds the mobile missions and conservation education outreach program, including a regional mahout association to improve the level of education and elephant welfare.

The ECC raises funds for the hospital by offering lodging and volunteer elephant experience to visitors. While most visitors go for the three-day package for $175, there is also a six day package for $399, and   longer term volunteers are accepted for $399 a week.   The ECC is home to five elephants, one bull and four females, who became residents out of need for a permanent home.  It is located on a gorgeous lake amid beautiful hills and lush flora and is rural enough to preclude unplanned visitors.

ElefantAsia has been working in Laos for 12 years.  Years of visiting every captive elephant they could find with their mobile clinic has built trusting relationships. Today, elephant owners and mahouts are calling for help more frequently and the owners, who are making an income with their elephant, are usually willing to pay for treatment. The mobile units and clinic have helped improve the lives of the elephants by providing inoculations, de-worming medications, other treatments, and kits of basic elephant medical supplies for the mahouts.  ElefantAsia has also initiated a breeding incentive program in which elephant owners/mahouts are paid for the elephant’s “maternity leave” (from near birth until the calf is 18 months of age).  The owner is also given a small plow to assist with alternative income while his elephant is out-of-work.

The ECC has arrangements with local villages to provide training on growing food for the elephants and a “guarantee purchase” program to create sustainable relationships.   Recently, a French agronomist worked for six months to start a gardening system using solar-powered irrigation from the lake to create sustainable food growth for a population of 12 to 15 elephants year round.  This program has also reduced the use of fertilizers and “slash and burn agriculture” through education and support of local producers.  In addition, the ECC offers job opportunities to a dozen or more people.

When you have a program that is making positive strides for an elephant population, you always have future goals.  ElefantAsia would like an enclosed barn for the elephant patients, an ultrasound for the breeding program, and other equipment and medicines.  This visit reinforced our conviction that our past funding to ElefantAsia has been a wise use of our funds and we will look at further ways to help them continue their work in Laos.

Please visit  www.elefantasia.org to learn more about the Elephant Conservation Center and ElefantAsia.

Emerging Diseases and Conservation in India Research Report

In September 2010, we announced that we had been awarded a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Asian Elephant Conservation Fund to support a research project in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in South India.  The goals of this project were to identify emerging diseases, their prevalence in the largest global population of Asian elephants, and to determine the impact of these diseases for long-term conservation.  Please see http://asianelephantsupport.org/emerging-diseases-and-conservation-in-india.asp for more information about this research.

Fast forward to November 2012…

Two years of intense field and laboratory work have brought to the forefront new observations about diseases in wild Asian elephant populations. Several diseases were identified during the course of this study.

One of the diseases identified is the Endotheliotropic Elephant Herpes Virus (EEHV).  This study provides the first report of EEHV in free ranging Asian elephants.   Although only a few cases were confirmed, the findings of EEHV in free ranging elephants, and the scientific data generated, can help to identify the cause of EEHV emergence in captive populations.  This research may also shed light on the evolution of the virus, which has a high mortality rate in elephants.

Like all good research, we have a better understanding of certain issues, but have been left with a long list of questions.  In this case, there are serious questions that can and need to be addressed.  Even these initial findings will impact our efforts to conserve Asian elephants.

More research is needed on how the free ranging elephant population has been affected by emerging diseases such as EEHV.  As this free ranging population shares habitat with captive elephants, livestock, and human settlements, there is an important need for long-term wildlife health monitoring of the elephant populations. There is also a need to determine the extent that environmental factors, such as sharing space with livestock, contribute to the emergence of disease of Asian elephants.

Knowledge and good science represent the real hope for the future of this magnificent species.  Obviously, there is much more work to be done.  To this end, AES is continuing to partner with scientists, veterinarians, and other organizations concerned about Asian elephant health.  AES will focus support on continuing the study of EEHV in Asian elephant populations around the world.

Wild elephant populations are experiencing loses due to EEHV.  This picture of a mom guarding her dying calf sends a powerful message.  This is not just another statistic: it’s another lost life.

An Indian Teacher Making Great Strides for Elephant Conservation

In July 2012, Asian Elephant Support was introduced to Mamatha Sathyanarayana, a young biology teacher from Mysore, India.  Along with her teaching responsibilities, she is also very involved in wildlife conservation.  She facilitates many educational workshops about wildlife and the forest for the local village children.

In 2011, Mamatha received a small grant from the International Elephant Foundation to develop a Human-Elephant Coexistence workshop for children in her home state of Karnataka.  She submitted an abstract on this workshop to the International Zoo Educators organization, hoping to present her work at the 2012 conference hosted by the Chester Zoo in the United Kingdom.  Her abstract was accepted and we were delighted to assist with partial funding to help defray her travel expenses.

She was truly grateful to be able to attend this conference and sent us a few pictures and a summary of what this opportunity meant to her.  She advised there was record attendance which gave her the opportunity to meet many eminent educators from all over the world.  The conference schedule was packed with case studies, papers, workshops, and poster presentations,  providing her with a lot of new ideas to take home.  Even with the busy schedule, there was time to enjoy the Chester Zoo and an opportunity to see the old historic city of Chester.  

Sharing knowledge is invaluable and we feel it is important to share the good conservation work that is being done in Asia with the Western world. Dedicated educators like Mamatha Sathyanarayana, whose passion for wildlife involves teaching both in and out of the classroom, represent a very important element in elephant conservation.  

With Mamatha’s help, her students will grow into adults with a better understanding of our wonderful planet and its amazing and precious creatures and wild places.  

Thank you, Mamatha, and our very best wishes to you!

2012 EMA Conference

For the last 33 years, the Elephant Managers Association (EMA) has held an annual conference. This is always a wonderful opportunity to share information, see old friends, and make new contacts in the elephant community. This year’s conference was no exception.  It was hosted by the Santa Barbara Zoo in beautiful Santa Barbara, California.  The hotel was located across the street from the beach and in between conference activities you could always find at least a couple of attendees at the beach.  The kickoff for the conference was a Hawaiian luau themed icebreaker, which included hula dancers, at the reception hall on the beach.  

There were some wonderful presentations on various topics including husbandry, veterinary care, training, and of course, our favorite topic, conservation.  We were very pleased to see an increase in the number of papers on conservation this year including an update on the recent survey of wild elephants in Sri Lanka, finding Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus in wild elephant populations in Africa and Asia (watch for an article on this virus in next month’s newsletter!), and the palm oil crisis, to name a few.

Directors April, Linda, and Sharon.

Director April Yoder gave a presentation on the activities of Asian Elephant Support and launched the “Hoof knives for Mahouts - India” project, which is a collaborative effort between the EMA and AES.  An AES supporter and good friend, Molly Flora, is a licensed massage therapist and offered to give a chair massage one evening for a donation to the hoof knife program.  She raised $90 in a matter of hours to help provide tools for the mahouts in India.  Director Sharon Glaeser also gave an excellent presentation on the social management of the male calf at the Oregon Zoo.

Three of the four directors were able to attend this conference so we had an informal meeting to discuss Asian Elephant Support activities.  We held the meeting at a restaurant that is part of the Good Dining program so we were raising money for AES while talking about AES.The zoo staff provided the attendees with other opportunities to see Santa Barbara. This included an evening on the town, a wine tasting, and a day at the Santa Barbara Zoo, which was only a block from the hotel. The Santa Barbara Zoo staff did a wonderful job and it is always great to spend three days talking about nothing but elephants!

We look forward to next year’s conference hosted by the Dallas Zoo.

Bona Update

We recently received some photos of little Bona, the orphan elephant calf in Sumatra, that we would like to share with you.   Aswita, an adult female elephant, has become Bona’s adopted mom and does a great job looking after her.    

School days:  As Bona approaches her second birthday, it is also time for her to start school.  Aswita is a very good teacher and Bona has been busy learning how to use her trunk to find natural elephant food.  She has also been learning behaviors that will assure safer and less stressful exams when the veterinarian comes to visit, as well as behaviors that will help her in her daily life with the members of her four and two-legged family.  Learning at Aswita’s side and with lots of verbal praise and food rewards makes school time fun for Bona.

A sincere thank you:  Bona is blossoming into a robust little girl and we would be terribly remiss if, in addition to Dr. Stremme and the full crew who are a part of Bona’s life, we didn’t also give a nod and very sincere thank you to Murray Munro, from Australia.  He and a cadre of his friends have become collaborators and team players on Bona’s behalf.  For the last six months they have taken over the funding of the supplemental feeding that is still so important for Bona as well as having one of them in camp to observe and help with her feeding schedule.  This significant support and sincere concern for Bona has also enabled AES and Vesswic to be able to redirect their funds to other needs.   We appreciate ‘Murray & Crew’ very much!  There are no bounds to what we can accomplish when we roll up our sleeves and work together….and Bona thinks she probably has also expressed her thanks simply by being so darn cute!

Medicine for ElefantAsia's Mobile Vet Unit

One of ElefantAsia’s projects is “Capacity Building to Strengthen Management of Captive Elephants” in Laos. This is an expansion of the Lao Captive Elephant Care and Management Program, which provides free veterinary care to the working elephants of Laos. They are also working on microchipping the nation’s elephants, to reduce the illegal capture and trade of wild and captive elephants.

ElefantAsia has also implemented the “Management of Domesticated Elephants” project which outlines and enforces fair working conditions for elephants and their mahouts, and also issues the official elephant identification cards. There are approximately 470 captive elephants in Laos. As logging is still legal in Laos, many of the elephants are involved in this industry and they frequently suffer injuries from working in such conditions. ElefantAsia operates Mobile Veterinary Units (MVUs) that travel to remote logging locations to provide free medical treatment to these elephants. The MVUs also respond to emergency healthcare and musth management missions throughout the country.

In order to facilitate cost efficiency, the MVUs provide treatment and medicines to the working elephants while also conducting field missions to distribute the elephant identification cards. AES is impressed by the comprehensive work ElefantAsia does for the elephants of Laos and we are honored to collaborate with such a trustworthy and hardworking organization. As a result, Asian Elephant Support donated $1800 to cover the cost of medicine used by the Mobile Veterinary Units for six months.

For more information about ElefantAsia, visit their website at: http://www.elefantasia.org

 

ElefantAsia MVUs in Laos

Asian Elephant Support is pleased to help support another project of ElefantAsia! You may remember that last year we purchased a dart gun for ElefantAsia that was used to help manage dangerous bulls in musth. For those who don’t remember, ElefantAsia is a non-profit in Lao PDR that works to safeguard Asian elephants and is the only organization dedicated to caring for elephants and their mahouts in this country. Working in collaboration with governmental organizations in Laos, “ElefantAsia initiates elephant conservation programs, elephant breeding incentives, environmental awareness and economic sustainability campaigns throughout areas of Laos populated by domesticated and wild elephants.”

One of ElefantAsia’s current projects is “Capacity Building to Strengthen Management of Captive Elephants” in Laos. This is an expansion of the Lao Captive Elephant Care and Management Program, which provides free veterinary care to the working elephants of Laos. They are also working on micro-chipping the nation’s elephants, to reduce the illegal capture and trade of wild and captive elephants. ElefantAsia has also implemented the “Management of Domesticated Elephants” project which outlines and enforces fair working conditions for elephants and their mahouts, and also issues the official elephant identification cards.

There are approximately 470 captive elephants in Laos. As logging is still legal in Laos, many of the elephants are involved in this industry and they frequently suffer injuries from working in such conditions. ElefantAsia operates Mobile Veterinary Units (MVUs) that travel to remote logging locations to provide free medical treatment to these elephants. The MVUs also respond to emergency healthcare and musth management missions throughout the country.

In order to facilitate cost efficiency, the MVUs provide treatment and medicines to the working elephants while also conducting field missions to distribute the elephant identification cards. AES is impressed by the comprehensive work ElefantAsia does for the elephants of Laos and we are honored to collaborate with such a trustworthy and hardworking organization. As a result, Asian Elephant Support has agreed to donate $1800 to cover the cost of medicine used by the Mobile Veterinary Units for six months. We look forward to further collaborative opportunities with ElefantAsia.  

Financial Support for Mamatha Sathyanarayana to Attend Conference

In July 2012, Asian Elephant Support was introduced to Mamatha Sathyanarayana, a young biology teacher from Mysore, India. Along with her teaching responsibilities, she is also very involved in wildlife conservation. She facilitates many educational workshops about wildlife and the forest for the local village children.

In 2011, Mamatha received a small grant from the International Elephant Foundation (IEF) to develop a Human-Elephant Coexistence workshop for children in her home state of Karnataka. She submitted an abstract on this workshop to the International Zoo Educators organization, hoping to present her work at the 2012 conference hosted by the Chester Zoo in the United Kingdom. Her abstract was accepted and we were delighted to assist with partial funding to help defray her travel expenses.She was truly grateful to be able to attend this conference and sent us a few pictures and a summary of what this opportunity meant to her. She advised there was record attendance which gave her the opportunity to meet many eminent educators from all over the world. The conference schedule was packed with case studies, papers, workshops, and poster presentations, providing her with a lot of new ideas to take home. Even with the busy schedule, there was time to enjoy the Chester Zoo and an opportunity to see the old historic city of Chester.

Sharing knowledge is invaluable and we feel it is important to share the good conservation work that is being done in Asia with the Western world. Dedicated educators like Mamatha Sathyanarayana, whose passion for wildlife involves teaching both in and out of the classroom, represent a very important element in elephant conservation. With Mamatha’s help, her students will grow into adults with a better understanding of our wonderful planet and its amazing and precious creatures and wild places. Thank you, Mamatha, and our very best wishes to you!

Supporting Higher Education

In our February 2012 newsletter, we introduced Aswin Bangun, an Indonesian Forestry Department employee.  As part of AES’s goal to provide financial assistance for the education of deserving individuals working for elephant conservation in Asian range countries, we provided a scholarship grant for Aswin to complete his Master’s degree in Forest Conservation.  

We are pleased to announce that in early June, Aswin completed his degree.  The title of his thesis is the 'Relationship between level of encroachment and human elephant conflict in the Seblat forest.'

This degree will assist him in his future work to improve elephant conservation in Bengkulu province and throughout Sumatra. Congratulations to Aswin and we looking forward to working with him in the future.

Parasite Prevention for Pachyderms

While elephants in range countries face many challenges in their daily lives, one of the medical issues they encounter is internal parasites.  Elephants can become infected by ingesting food or water that contains parasite larva.  Parasites can contribute to an overall decline in health by causing such conditions as anemia, weight loss, and diarrhea. In extreme cases, parasites may overwhelm an organ or body system resulting in death.  The lack of appetite and poor food utilization caused by a large number of parasites can also inhibit the growth and maturation of young elephants. Occasionally, the adult parasites can be seen in the feces, but an infestation can also be detected by examining a fecal sample using a sedimentation and flotation method.

AES has been working with the Veterinary Society for Sumatran Wildlife Conservation (VESSWIC) to improve the health of the captive population of elephants in Sumatra, Indonesia. Some of the parasites found in elephants in Sumatra include: Strongylus spec., Strongyloides spec. Ascaridae, Fasciola spec. Paramphistomoidea and Anoplocephala spec.  To help control parasites in elephants, VESSWIC routinely deworms the captive elephant population every 3-4 months. Ivermectin is a broad spectrum anti parasitic that is often given in combination with other medications to treat internal parasites in elephants.

As a result of conversations with the VESSWIC veterinary staff and our international advisors, the board unanimously voted to make a donation to VESSWIC to purchase 250 mg of Ivermectin to help treat the elephants in Sumatra.  Having accurate weights is critical for determining the proper dosage of any medication.  The portable scales that AES purchased last year will be put to good use in determining the weight of the elephants, so they are given the correct amount of dewormer.

Sometimes it can be very tricky to get this intelligent animal to take medication.  If they can taste it, they will often just spit it out.  One way to make sure the medication is taken is to hide it in a favorite food.  In Sumatra, they use fruits such as bananas and pineapples to help mask the taste of the dewormer.

2012 Annual Board Meeting

April, Sharon, Linda, Whitney (a volunteer), Gretchen, and Bud the elephant!

To maintain good communication and achieve Asian Elephant Support’s goals, the board of directors has a monthly conference call to discuss on-going projects and a wide variety of other foundation business. However, once a year we have our annual meeting where we get together in person.  This year we chose St. Louis, Missouri, the home of our president and the headquarters for Asian Elephant Support.  On Friday, June 8th, Sharon arrived from Oregon, April from Virginia, and Gretchen from Washington.Once everyone had arrived we headed off to the only logical place for dinner, The Elephant Bar Restaurant.

We started our meeting early Saturday morning and worked for two and a half hours, then took a break and drove to Grant’s Farm, a special St. Louis venue.  Thanks to Jenny and her team, we had a wonderful visit with the park’s elephants, Bud and Mickey.

It was back to work for a few hours before going to dinner at the Pasta House Company.  As we continued our discussions during dinner, we were also helping Asian elephants because a portion of our bill was donated to Asian Elephant Support through the “Good Dining” Program. For more information on the “Good Dining” program, visit Goodsearch Shopping.

Sunday morning the computers were humming again.  We spent the afternoon at the St. Louis Zoo and enjoyed watching their herd of Asian elephants and talking with the staff.  The newest addition to the herd, Kenzi , was a joy to watch as she raced around her mother and grandmother while her older siblings enjoyed a swim in the pool.

Sunday evening, Linda hosted a get-together at her house for all the keepers from Grant’s Farm and the Zoo.  We saw some old friends and made a lot of new friends that evening. Everyone enjoyed the conservation and helped support Asian Elephant Support by having dinner that was delivered by Pasta House Company. Monday morning we were back at the computers for our last working session.  It was a great weekend of work and fun. Together we accomplished a lot of foundation business, enjoyed our elephant experiences, and enjoyed the social time with our St. Louis friends.  That afternoon we headed to the airport with renewed enthusiasm and determination to do everything possible to save these magnificent animals. 

Field Course in Emerging Diseases of Asian Elephants, Kerala, India (November, 2012)

Asian Elephant Support (AES) continues to facilitate the training of veterinarians in Asia who work with elephants, with funding support from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Asian Elephant Conservation Fund. As a follow-up to the Regional Asian Elephant Veterinary Workshop held in Banda Aceh, Sumatra-Indonesia in March 2012, a group of several veterinarians met in southern India in early November for a week long "Field Course in Emerging Diseases of Asian Elephants". This field course was held in the state of Kerala, and hosted by the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University in Pookode. Veterinarians from Indonesia, Myanmar, Laos, and from around India participated in the course which addressed veterinary topics such as diagnosis and treatment of diseases in wild and captive elephant populations, and proper sample collection. The lead instructor was Dr. Arun Zachariah, a veterinarian with the Kerala Department of Forests and Wildlife, whose project "Emerging Diseases in the Single Largest Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus indicus) Population, Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, South India" was also supported in part by AES.

During the course, veterinarians presented information about emerging diseases of elephants in their regions, shared experiences, and learned laboratory techniques to assess samples for certain specific diseases such as the Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpes Virus (EEHV), a highly fatal disease which has been confirmed in populations of captive and wild elephants around Asia.

Taking advantage of the time in this region, the veterinarians were also treated to some local field trips: to the Bandipur elephant camp where the efficient southern India Forest Department elephant camp management system was observed and discussed, and to the Wyanad Wildlife Sanctuary where the group was lucky to view wild elephants.

The experience exchange continues, as the veterinarians discussed the need for comprehensive reporting throughout the region, and agreed to develop guidelines to help field veterinarians collect appropriate samples for laboratory examinations. Such guidelines would help determine if certain elephant diseases are indeed emerging in populations around Asia.

We thank you for the financial support that allows us to help make these educational opportunities happen. 

Update from India

We first introduced Dr. Kushal Sarma in our February 2012 newsletter as the veterinarian who organized the one-day veterinary workshop in the city of Ahmedabad, India. At the Regional Asian Elephant Veterinary Workshop in March, our president and Dr. Sarma discussed a follow up visit to this location.  Recently Dr. Sarma advised that he had made an observational visit to Ahmedabad. While the health of the elephants appeared a bit better, another health clinic is definitely warranted and will be held as soon as possible.  At the workshop they also discussed a second group of elephants he thought could use some assistance. This is a group of elephants he encountered while working on a rhino relocation project in Kaziranga. Dr. Sarma has already organized a veterinary visit at Kaziranga and will be returning to operate on an elephant with an abscess on its back.

Dr. Sarma teaching at the workshop

AES will be kept updated on the work done at these clinics, as well as further opportunities for us to help these and other elephant populations.  Many elephants reside in areas where their numbers are small and capable veterinarian assistance is not available.  In addition, many of the mahouts caring for elephants in these locations lead a very difficult life. We are looking into ways we can also help the people that care for the elephants.

Dr. Sarma demonstrating proper foot care

In addition to being a working veterinarian, Dr. Sarma is also a university professor.  We feel privileged to have found a man of this talent and dedication to the welfare of Asian elephants. We appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with Dr. Sarma and we are grateful he is willing to put these extra clinics into his already very busy schedule.

We will keep you updated as this work progresses and thank you, Dr. Sarma!

Earth Day 2012, Party for the Planet

The first Earth Day event was held on April 22, 1970, and is considered the birth of the modern environmental movement.  After the oil spill disaster in Santa Barbara, California in 1969, Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson, then a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, was inspired to combine the anti-war energy and the growing concern for the environment to create an environmental movement.  That year 20 million Americans participated in a coast-to-coast rally for a more healthy and sustainable world.  

Among other things, this first Earth Day led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts, and the Endangered Species Act, which helps protect Asian elephants today.

To help celebrate this event, the Virginia Zoo, in Norfolk, Virginia hosted their annual Earth Day and animal enrichment event called “Party for the Planet” on April 21, 2012. Director, April Yoder was able to attend the event as a representative of Asian Elephant Support. April’s father, Sheldon, who serves on our communication committee, was in town visiting and was also able to help with the event.

Director April speaking with some visitors.

Participants arrived bright and early on Saturday morning to set up for the event.  There were several local environmental organizations and agencies at the event providing information on many environmental issues such as clean air and water, and the use of solar energy. Throughout the day April and her father had an opportunity to talk to the zoo visitors and even catch up with some friends that work with the zoo’s two elephants, Lisa and Cita.

April is the Chairperson for our Education committee so she took this opportunity to share information about the Palm Oil Crisis and how as consumers, we can make a difference for elephants in Asia.

Click here for more information on the Palm Oil Crisis.

2nd Annual CPK Fundraiser

Our 2nd annual California Pizza Kitchen fundraiser was a big success!  We expanded our number of locations to 23 this year, which spanned from Delaware to Maryand, Missouri, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, California, and Washington. We are grateful to everyone who came out to help support us! It was wonderful to hear about all the people across the country that took time out of their busy schedules to help Asian elephants. 

Director April at the Virginia location.

A special thanks to Liz Wilson in Santa Barbara, CA and Vanessa Gagne in Dallas, TX, for hosting CPK fundraisers in their area. We would also like to thank Bruce Upchurch in Seattle WA, Whitney Jones, Kim Schaefer and Cynthia Christison in St. Louis, MO, Patti Villareal in Portland, OR, Erin Johns in Richmond, VA and all those who promoted this event to make it such a success. 

This will be an annual spring event and we are hoping that next year it will be even bigger. However, if you are interested in hosting a fundraiser for Asian Elephant Support, you don’t have to wait until next year. You can host a California Pizza Kitchen fundraiser at any time. Email us at elephants@asianelephantsupport.org for more information.

Regional Asian Elephant Veterinary Workshop

In 2011, AES received a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Asian Elephant Conservation Fund to support important educational opportunities for veterinarians from Asian elephant range countries. On March 27- 30,2012, AES president attended the Regional Asian Elephant Veterinary Workshop in Banda Aceh, Sumatra, along with our international advisor, Heidi Riddle.

Thirty-five veterinarians representing the Asian elephant range countries of India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Laos, Nepal, Myanmar, Malaysia (Sabah) and Indonesia attended this four day workshop.  Veterinarians from Germany, Japan, and Singapore also participated. The goals of the workshop are to provide in-country veterinarians with a unique opportunity for building their own capacity by sharing experiences and gaining valuable knowledge about the health and well-being of Asian elephants. Most importantly, the workshop provides an opportunity to network with others in the region to ensure continued collaborations long after everyone has returned home.

The first day of the workshop was a full day of presentations. The topics included status and health care management of elephants in Myanmar, Providing care to elephants in Lao PDR, and Health management of captive elephants in Sumatra.

The second day began with a presentation followed by hands-on ultrasound demonstrations with six elephants, at the campus of the Syiah Kuala University. Workshop attendees were given an opportunity to ultrasound either a male or female elephant, and better understand the interpretation of the anatomical images.  In addition to the workshop attendees, veterinary students from the University’s Veterinary College also participated in this unique learning session.

Day three was one to celebrate.  We have all attended conferences where the attendees seem to fade with the passing days of papers, especially the long days of presentations.  Not at this workshop!   The presentations began at 8 a.m. and concluded at 7 p.m. and everyone was as alert and tuned in at 7 p.m. as they were when the day started. The presenters included veterinarians that AES has supported in various projects, such as Dr. Christopher Stremme from Sumatra-Indonesia, and Drs. Arun Zachariah and Kushal Sarma from India. These veterinarians have substantial experience with elephants and they understand the importance of sharing information with their peers.  It was a wonderful opportunity to visit in person with Drs. Stremme, Zachariah, and Sarma and hear the progress of their work.

The fourth and final day of the workshop was another hands-on demonstration with the elephants at the University campus.  This session covered foot care, methods of weighing (including a demonstration with one of the scales donated by AES), conducting a thorough general examination, and injection protocols. Once again the University veterinary students also participated.

Overall, the workshop was a success and was appreciated by all of the attendees. It was also a wonderful opportunity to meet veterinarians who are representatives of governmental and nongovernmental organizations from the various Asian elephant range countries. This workshop will certainly lead to further collaborative opportunities in the future, as we are most effective when we work together for the same objective of helping Asian elephants survive the challenges they face every day.

Conservation Education with Think Elephants International

Think Elephants International (TEI) is a non-profit organization that aims to conserve Asian elephants through scientific research and education programs. TEI's founder, Joshua Plotnik, PhD, has been studying elephant cognition for the past few years. Two of his most notable studies scientifically prove that elephants can self-recognize, and are capable of complex cooperation.

Last year, TEI started an after school club for middle school students in New York City that taught students the scientific research process, as well as the importance of environmental conservation. Through the use of Skype, these students saw what life was like for elephants and their mahouts (caretakers) in Thailand. This club also had several guest speakers, and took a field trip to the National Zoo to get an up close and personal experience with the elephants.

Because this was such a success, TEI is looking to expand their program globally. They will especially focus on implementing the program in Thai schools, as young Thais have great potential for conserving their elephants and their environment. These students will get a full understanding of the complex situation that many Asian countries are facing by focusing on topics ranging from culture and language, to perceptions of animal welfare and conservation interests. Through this experience and education, these students will be better prepared to deal with the issues surrounding Thailand and its environment when it is their turn to make the decisions.

AES awarded TEI $2,000 for the purchase of an Apple computer and a television that will be used in Thai schools to help educate students about the importance of elephant conservation. Part of AES's mission statement is to increase awareness of the needs and future of the Asian elephant, as well as to provide educational opportunities to those persons who care for captive Asian elephants in range countries. We are very excited by the potential TEI has to positively shape the future of captive and wild elephants and the people with whom they share land.

For more information regarding TEI, please visit their website at: www.thinkelephants.com.

Veterinary Workshop in Ahmedabad, India

In early 2011, we received an inquiry from a veterinarian from the state of Gujarat in Western India, who was faced with treating an extremely ill elephant.  Gujarat is a semi-arid state and is not ideal habitat for elephants; however, there are approximately 30 temple elephants living in this area.   Unfortunately, due to a lack of exposure and experience, the veterinarians in Gujarat do not have a lot of practical or theoretical knowledge of elephant healthcare and management.

Sadly, it was too late to save this gravely ill elephant, but during the process, we made inquiries among our advisors that resulted in our introduction to Dr. Kushal Konwar Sarma.  Dr. Sarma is a professor at Assam Agricultural University in the College of Veterinary Science.  His position within the Department of Surgery & Radiology provides opportunities to teach, to participate in research and field work, and to publish his work.  Every year, he works with hundreds of captive elephants along with a significant number of wild elephants.  Even with his busy schedule, he found time to help us when we contacted him.

Dr. Sarma presenting at the workshop

From our conversations with Dr. Sarma, it was decided that a workshop on the basic skills applicable to elephant healthcare would be helpful for both the elephants and the veterinarians who are involved in providing healthcare to the elephants. On December 25, Dr. Sarma led a one-day workshop on elephant healthcare and managerial practices in the city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat, India.  The workshop was held at the Jagannath Temple and was attended by 21 participants from 9 different cities.  

The lectures in the morning covered important topics such as the biological features of elephants, techniques of drug administration, anesthesia protocols, commonly occurring diseases and their management, foot care, and musth management.  After lunch, there were hands-on demonstrations of healthcare techniques including routine examinations, sites for injections, estimations of height and weight, and routine foot care.   The day concluded with an open discussion where many questions were answered and doubts alleviated.  The participants were very thankful for the opportunity and we are grateful that we could contribute to making the lives of these elephants, and the work of the veterinarians, a little easier.

Veterinary participants listening intently

We would like to thank Dr. Sarma for taking time out of his busy schedule to share his knowledge and we look forward to working with him in the future.  We would also like to thank the veterinary medical firm, Intas Pharmaceuticals Ltd., for their help in making this workshop a reality.

Opportunities like this are only possible because of your generous donations. Please consider making a donation to Asian Elephant Support so that we may continue to support worthwhile projects like the veterinary workshop in Ahmedabad, India.  Thank you.

Mahout and elephant waiting their turn for the hands on demonstrations to begin

Financial Support for Aswin Bangun's Master's Degree in Forest Conservation (Indonesia)

In our February 2012 newsletter, we introduced Aswin Bangun, an Indonesian Forestry Department employee. In 1999, Aswin graduated from the Agricultural Institute in Bogor (Java) with a degree in forestry. He began his career with the Forestry Police in the Department of Forestry in 2000, and was assigned to the Nature Conservation Agency (BKSDA) in Bengkulu province. During his nine years with the Forestry Department, he was assigned to the Rhino Protection Unit in Kerinci Seblat National Park, and was Manager of the Conservation Response Unit (CRU) in Seblat. During his tenure in Seblat, Aswin was responsible for the oversight of the CRU elephant back patrols, which use trained elephants, their mahouts (handlers) and forest rangers to monitor protected areas. In 2008, Aswin was transferred to the central Forest Department office in Jakarta to address forestry issues on the national level. While working in Seblat, Aswin became very interested in elephant conservation and decided to study human-elephant conflict (HEC) issues in order to better understand how to address the problem.

Aswin

As part of AES’s goal to provide financial assistance for the education of deserving individuals working for elephant conservation in Asian range countries, we provided a scholarship grant in 2011 for Aswin to complete his Master’s degree in Forest Conservation.

We are pleased to announce that in early June of 2012, Aswin completed his degree. The title of his thesis is the "Relationship between level of encroachment and human elephant conflict in the Seblat forest." This degree will assist him in his future work to improve elephant conservation in Bengkulu province and throughout Sumatra. We thank Aswin for his dedication to all of Sumatra's wildlife and we look forward to working with him in the future.