The Biodiversity Elephant Conservation Trust (BECT) in Sri Lanka is a non-profit NGO that focuses on studying elephants and teaching school children about human-elephant conflict (HEC). AES has been funding their school programs for a few years now and we are happy to hear from Mr. Jayantha Jayewardene that their 2016 curriculum was a success. 45 schools participated in their School Awareness Programs over 6 districts throughout the island. An average of 151 pupils and 9 teachers were in attendance. The programs are specifically located in rural areas so that children can be made aware of the difficulties surrounding HEC and how they can help their communities mitigate the issues of coexisting with elephants. Elephant biology, ecology, and religious symbolism are all taught in the half day course at each school. Being able to empower the next generation with knowledge and respect for elephants will certainly make sure that their survival in the limited space within Sri Lanka is guaranteed. We at AES look forward to our continued work with Mr. Jayewardene and the BECT.
EEHV Working Group
In 1995, Kumari, at 16 month-old Asian elephant died after a short illness at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. Zoo pathologists, Drs. Richard Montali and Laura Richman, soon discovered that a previously unidentified herpesvirus, later called Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus (EEHV) was responsible.
Zoo pathologists, veterinarians, researchers, zoos and private owners have all come together to investigate the transmission and epidemiology, develop better treatments, and create a possible vaccine to save elephants from this too often fatal disease. As in any instance when a totally unknown disease is first identified, many initial assumptions were suggested and proved to be dead ends. The disease has nothing to do with Asian and African elephants being housed together, or transported. This is not a disease found only in Western institutions. It is a natural herpesvirus of elephants, and is most likely found in all elephants. (Most species, including humans, have herpesviruses associated with them that have evolved over millions of years to co-exist with their host.) In fact, Asian Elephant Support has helped fund Dr. Arun Zachariah, professor and field veterinarian at the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Science University, Southern India, who first confirmed instances of EEHV in wild populations. He has become a resource for EEHV testing and information for elephant colleagues in other Southeast Asian countries.
The numbers to date are not only horrific but represent dashed hopes for the life of a new calf and broken hearts among their caregivers.
These are confirmed numbers:
North America (back to about 1980): 34 cases, 10 survivors, 24 fatalities = 71% fatality rate.
Europe: 25 deaths from EEHV of 43 total deaths, so 60% of all Asian calf deaths – the largest single cause of death of elephants born in Europe since 1995.
Asian Range Countries: In human care: 74 cases documented, 7 survivors, 67 fatalities = 90% fatality rate. In the wild, 12 fatal cases documented. The actual numbers are probably much higher as testing is just starting up; many more cases are suspected but haven’t been tested yet. Also, the cases in the wild are usually missed because no one is there to see it and collect samples, although Dr. Zachariah has shown that it is possible to follow wild elephant herds and conduct field necropsies.
There is some amazing talent and experience at Smithsonian’s National Zoo, John Hopkins University, and Baylor College of Medicine – to name a few – that are dedicated to saving today’s elephants that become victims of EEHV. In addition, many of the zoos and private owners are fervent supporters of this research and good science. We applaud and appreciate their efforts on behalf of all Asian elephants.
As we are Asian Elephant Support, our next newsletter will focus on EEHV in Asian range countries. We will look more closely at the work that needs to be done: the laboratory requirements and training needs that so desperately beg for attention and support. Please be sure to look for how AES plans to give assistance and, as always, it is with our thanks for your support that we are able to do this work.
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!
Nepal HEC Workshop
GETTING ALONG WITH ELEPHANTS:
Workshop in Bardiya National Park, Nepal, addressing the very real life/death decisions local people make on a daily basis when they share living space with elephants.
In 2009, Zoo Outreach Organization conducted a series of Human Elephant Coexistence and conservation education programs training about 120 educators in various elephant range areas of Nepal. The evaluation of this program found it to be very effective and it was decided similar training was necessary in other parts of Bardiya National Park. A three-day workshop was organized for November 3 to 6, 2016, with Asian Elephant Support providing the financial means.
Participants included village heads, village council members, teachers, Nepal Armed Forces that deal with inter-border wildlife issues, members from NGOs, volunteers, and forest personnel. AES advisor Heidi Riddle, Riddles Wildlife & Elephant Sanctuary; Naresh Subedi from the National Trust for Nature Conservation; and B. A. Daniel of Zoo Outreach were the main resource persons.
During the workshop a variety of educational materials developed exclusively for Nepal were used including Getting Along With Elephants, a brochure that includes species information, has activities related to Asian culture and the Asian elephant, human-elephant conflict (HEC) case studies and morals, history of HEC in Nepal and other Asian elephant range countries, various mitigation measures, and some important guidelines for people to mitigate HEC in their daily lives. The materials were thoughtfully designed and created for a carefully selected class of individuals in positions to teach what they have learned to others.
This workshop included 32 participants plus the three instructors. The survey participants completed at the end of the three-day workshop is geared to measure their knowledge gained of the presented elephant information. The highest range difference of ‘before’ and ‘after’ the workshop was 9% to 90%. The group average score was 38.98% before and 82.35% after. Each participant received a pledge card to commit to practice teaching what they learned in the next three to four months, while the coordinating institutions committed to follow up with the participant educators to spread the word of HECx with their respective audiences.
Education is a core component of conservation as well as caring for today’s elephants. We thank YOU, our supporters, for helping us provide quality learning opportunities that will pay themselves forward to even larger audiences.
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.
Mayapur Temple Elephants with Dr. Sarma
An account by Ms. Hrimati Dasi,
Dr. Sarma’s visit started with me fetching him from the Kolkata airport. The 3-4 hour car ride via the bumpy and crowded National highway 34, is filled up with talks about the doctor's past elephant adventures.
We arrive late in Mayapur and I check him into his guest room, which I had pre booked for him. After Kushal stopped at my house for a hot and fresh cup of my own cow's milk, I equip the doctor with my extra bicycle, so he can easily make it early in the morning to the Mayapur elephant care center.
Our elephants rise from their slumber before sunrise and are bathed and groomed by their dedicated mahouts and taken out for their routine morning walk.
I meet the Doctor at 6:30 am at the care center, setup the microscope and prepared the elephant dung for examination. The doctor was very satisfied with the findings. No fasicola and only one strongyloid ova was found. As we discussed the course of treatment and a deworming schedule. Our beautiful young ladies, Laksmipriya and Bishnupriya entered the gate to the care center from their morning walk.
After they drank water, I took their body measurements, while the Doctor wrote it down in the medical register.
Krishna Pada Ghosh, a local Veterinary assistant, joined us to administer tetanus vaccinations to the elephants. After they were vaccinated, it was time to inspect the bottom of the elephant's feet. "It's not too bad." said the doctor, "only a little trimming of the nails is needed."
Three mahouts, Mintu, Bharat and Ajay, Dr. Sarma and myself, all got to do the pedicure on our Princesses! Having the girls lay down on their sides is the most practical way to get the foot work done. Because we routinely give foot care to the elephants, they are very cooperative and calm while getting their pedicure done.
After being so well behaved and patient with us, the girls received some more extra fresh cut grass from our grass cutting crew.
While the elephants munched on their breakfast, their doctor discussed their general diet plan and fodder varieties with us. To keep the elephants in topmost health, we grow organically a variety of fodder 'in house' for them, according to season.
In the afternoon, after another bath, we hand fed their rations, which consists of soaked chickpeas, multi mineral/vitamin powder and black salt or/and natural rock salt, which gets wrapped in banana leaf.
Our mahouts know Dr. Sarma well. In their native State of Assam, elephant keeping is an age old tradition. So, when the doctor visits, they discuss elephants, many elephants. It is always a pleasure to listen in on their elephant adventure stories.
Before retiring for the night, I gave Kushal a little tour of our temple compound. We visited some shops and even bought a nice shirt for him to bring back home to his daughter.
The next morning was Sunday and, like every Sunday, time for a long walk to the next village Rajapur. It takes about an hour and a half for the elephants to walk to the mango groves in Rajapur, where a nice healthy breakfast of napier grass was waiting for them, before returning back to Mayapur.
In Mayapur it was time for our breakfast and to say goodby to the Doctor.
While I read the health report for our two elephants, Laksmipriya and Bishnupriya, I am thankful that they are able to receive the best possible medical care. Dr. Kushal Sarma has already many more elephants waiting for him, not only in Assam, but many other places in India.
Thank you AES, for making it possible.
Collaboration for Education & Elephants: Dr. Zachariah and Dr. Stremme
Asian Elephant Support is fortunate to be able to work with two very talented and dedicated veterinarians: Dr. Christopher Stremme and Dr. Arun Zachariah.
Dr. Stremme teaches at the Veterinary College of Unisyah University in Banda Aceh, Sumatra-Indonesia and he invited Dr. Zachariah to visit the University from September 23-25, 2016. Dr. Zachariah is a senior veterinary officer with the Kerala Department of Forests and Wildlife, as well as an assistant Professor for wildlife studies at the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences Universsity, Pookode, India. He is also a leading scientist on EEHV in wild and captive elephants in Asia and specializes in wildlife disease ecology and genetics.
The first day included meetings and informal discussions between Dr. Zachariah, the Dean of the Veterinary College, several professors, and lecturers. They discussed EEHV and several other wildlife diseases, their potential impact, and their importance for endangered species conservation. In addition, Dr. Zachariah visited the College’s laboratory facilities and gave advice on how it could be utilized for different wildlife disease studies.
On the second day, Dr. Zachariah conducted a seminar on wild Asian elephant and tiger diseases. The topics included:
- Wildlife disease ecology and their conservation impact
- Current and emerging diseases in wild Asian elephants and tigers
- Post mortem procedures in Asian elephants and tigers
The seminar was attended by a total of 67 participants including veterinary students, Veterinary College lecturers, professors, and BKSDA (Nature Conservation Agency- Indonesia) veterinarians.
AES strongly believes in collaboration between individuals and facilities dedicated to helping elephants! Being able to help fund the work of veterinarians such as Dr. Stremme and Dr. Zachariah is possible because of your support. Our thanks to you for helping to make such efforts possible!
Singapore IEF Symposium
INTERNATIONAL ELEPHANT & RHINO CONSERVATION & RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM:
A truly exceptional gathering……
November 14–18, 2016, President Linda Reifschneider attended the IEF/IRF Symposium in Singapore.
Hosted with exceptional hospitality by Wildlife Reserves Singapore Group, this was an excellent week of presentations from some of the best of the veterinarians, researchers, and conservationists working to assure a future for all elephant and rhino species. Linda presented an update on AES’ efforts and was asked to focus on the educational aspect of our work. Looking back at the past couple of years and all that you have helped us make happen, it became quite apparent that almost everything we do has an educational component to it:
Helping veterinarians, mahouts, researchers, or educators attend a workshop or conference that will help grow their knowledge and confidence is, naturally, all about education.
When we help Dr. Sarma conduct his elephant health clinics, in addition to attending to any immediate medical needs and supplying preventative medicine, Dr. Sarma is always teaching the elephant owners and mahouts how to better care for the medical needs of their animals as well as how to better identify when they need to call him for help.
We initially helped Mamatha attend a teacher’s conference to advance her teaching skills. She paid it forward via all the lessons she gives within her school curriculum, outside of school sessions, and with the mahouts at three of the Forest Department’s elephant camps.
The mobile clinic AES helps ElefantAsia run in Laos to bring medical care to every captive elephant in that country also actively helps teach those mahouts and owners how to better care for their charges.
And the learning goes both ways. For every time we reach out to help, we also learn. Whether reading grant requests through the final report of a funding effort, or traveling to participate in a workshop or conference or to visit those we fund in their backyards, our efforts are repaid by growing our knowledge and thus our ability to always put your financial support towards the best of efforts. Thank you again for your support of our endeavors.
Drought in Way Kambas
Enduring the dry season in Way Kambas National Park (WKNP), Indonesia, August 2016
The month of August brought with it increased temperatures, dried grassland, and big challenges for the WKNP Elephant Response Units (EURs). The dry season gave rise to the illegal burning of alang-alang grasses and in this one month alone, the ERUs who call the park home reported 22 forest fires. These fires were believed to have been started by wildlife hunters to facilitate wild deer hunts mainly in the Bungur and Tegal Yoso, with the latter hit hardest.
Managing forest fires was not an anticipated task for the WKNP mahouts who have not been trained to fight fires. Due to the unpredicted need and lack of budget for firefighting equipment the ERUs rose to the challenge and worked feverishly using tree branches to help extinguish the fire. Water was also used from their water bottles to saturate surrounding areas in order to prevent the fires from spreading. The Bungur ERU found one case where an area of 2 hectares of grassland had been destroyed by fires. Tegal Yoso had the most prolific illegal burning within their patrol region reporting 21 cases. In 10 instances the grasslands were burnt 2-3 days previous to patrols. The remaining 11 cases the Tegal Yoso ERUs encountered were active fires which required immediate attention by mahouts to prevent further destruction of the park.
The three ERUs assigned to the park, patrol a very large area that stretches over 125,261.3 hectares. On patrols they continually try to deter and prevent any illegal forest activities while monitoring and protecting wildlife. An enormous thank you goes to the ERU teams who rose to the difficult challenges they faced and put their safety secondary to protecting the biome and the inhabitants of the WKNP. Our donors also deserve many thanks for helping supporting the patrols the ERUs carryout. In the case of emergency situations, such as the ones the Way Kambas encountered in August, every donation is crucial to the future of the wildlife and forest protected by the ERUs.
Elefantasia's Mobile Vet Units
THE DOCTOR MAKES HOUSE CALLS –
Often nomadic, working in remote areas of isolated forest with access to veterinary medication and treatment often impossible, many captive elephants would suffer from horrific yet preventable conditions were it not for the veterinarians who make ‘house calls’.
In cooperation with the Lao National Animal Health Center, ElefantAsia implements free veterinary treatment for working elephants suffering from illness or injury via their Mobile Veterinary Units. These vehicles are especially adapted for the treatment of elephants in remote logging sites, tourism centers, and villages where elephants are employed. It also provides advice to mahouts on basic care and medicines.
Laos Mobile Elephant Clinic
The Lao Elephant Care and Management Programme (LECMP) mobile veterinary units’ main project areas include Sayaboury, Luang Prabang, Champassak, and Vientiane provinces within the Lao PDR. They carry out approximately 12 national field missions per annum with an additional 10 emergency missions within the same time frame. Without the implementation of the Mobile Veterinary missions, many domesticated elephants, particularly those working in the logging industry, would suffer unnecessarily from treatable conditions such as abscesses, broken legs, and foot injuries. Physical exhaustion and malnutrition are also issues of great concern.
A meeting is held on the first day of each LECMP mission to train the mahouts and elephant owners and give them information on specific subjects. In 2013, the vet team offered a presentation on ‘tuberculosis in elephants and people’, to raise awareness about the zoonotic risk in the mahout community. In 2015, the new registration system (ID cards) was introduced to the owners. This year, several subjects of major interest will be discussed with mahouts such as ‘musth management and control to prevent accidents’ or ‘reproduction in elephants’.
Treating a bull with a large abcess
In Laos, the elephant population is decreasing at an alarming rate, presently registering 10 deaths per 3 births each year. Very few captive female elephants in Laos are still candidates for breeding and those not given the opportunity to breed early enough are likely to develop reproductive tract pathologies that limit their fertility. To ensure the viability of the Lao elephant population, the young females need to be urgently involved in a breeding program. The LECMP team raises awareness in the mahout community regarding the benefits of a breeding program and gives incentives to the owners to breed their elephants. Furthermore, alternative opportunities to logging are discussed with the mahouts and mahout associations were created to make a transition towards good tourism for logging elephants.
In addition, the Veterinary Units also implement a micro-chipping and registration campaign with introduction of elephant ID cards to identify all domesticated elephants in Laos. The ID cards summarize the elephant’s information (age, sex, owner information, breeding, and medical history) in order to strengthen capacity for a sustainable management of the Lao elephant populations. The identification cards work to safeguard the remaining captive elephants in Laos, in particular juveniles under the age of three which cannot be micro-chipped and are highly valued by illegal traders. It also reduces the risk of illegal capture and trade of wild populations.
Taking a blood sample
Asian Elephant Support has helped fund various needs with ElefantAsia over the last several years and since the beginning of 2016, we are delighted to be able to offer financial support to this very much needed and worthwhile project that is managed and implemented very efficiently and effectively. Our thanks to YOU, our donors, for helping us make a difference to the elephants of Laos.
Elephant Transit Home Update
This past July, four elephants were released from the Elephant Transit Home to the Udawalawe National Park in Sri Lanka. The plan is to release a total of nine elephants this year; the other five have yet to be released. They have been collared to monitor their progress and whereabouts as they integrate into their new home. Thank you, Mr. Vijitha Perera for the update and we look forward to hearing more as other elephants are ready to be released!
Dr. Aung Myint Htun - Asian Elephant Workshop in Thailand
This past summer we were happy to help Dr. Htun participate in the Asian Elephant Health, Reproduction and Breeding Management Workshop in Thailand. The workshop was divided into three portions: one week online, one week examinations, and lastly, one week hands-on practicals in Thailand. Dr. Htun was able to learn about foot care in addition to ultrasound checks for pregnant elephant cows.
2016 EMA Conference
This past October AES directors were lucky to spend the weekend in Oklahoma City at the 37th annual Elephant Managers Association conference. Our pre-trip took us to the Endangered Ark Foundation in Hugo, OK. Then at the conference we were able to catch up with keynote speaker Dr. Josh Plotnik, founder of Think Elephants International, and his wife Cherry Plotnik, a Thai elephant vet. There was a wonderful array of presentations about training, vet care, enrichment, and of course, conservation. That Saturday we spent the day at the OKC Zoo where we learned more about their elephant program and got to see their beautiful barn and elephant yards. The weekend ended with a post-trip to the Sedgwick County Zoo where a herd of the new Swaziland imports are settling in nicely. All in all it was a fabulous time; the EMA is something we look forward to every year!
Funding for Mayapur Temple Elephants' Medical Care
Ms. Dasi with Laksmipriya
AES is pleased to announce we were able to secure funding to Dr. Sarma for the continuing medical care of the Mayapur Temple elephants Laksmipriya and Bishnupriya under the care of Ms. Hrimati Dasi. The two female elephants arrived to the temple separately some time ago. Ms. Dasi employs three mahouts to care for the elephants as well as herself. Dr. Sarma has taught her how to do some medical care as well as footwork, which is essential to elephant health.
Ms. Dasi performing foot work on one of the girls
The two girls have been provided with a well rounded diet and are able to forage the area around the temple to graze which has brought them into healthy weights. We look forward to more updates from Ms. Dasi and Dr. Sarma throughout the next year as he stops in for their routine check ups.
Dr. Sarma, with a smile that only an elephant can give you.
Perot Museum Outreach
Vanessa in front of a Columbian Mammoth skeleton
This past September, director and Secretary Vanessa Gagne presented to hundreds of school children across the US about Asian Elephant Support and Asian elephant conservation. The Perot Museum of Science in downtown Dallas has a ScienceCast that allows for classrooms to engage with a speaker at a Career Cafe via video call in. Vanessa talked about Asian elephant natural history, their status as an endangered species, and of course, how the school kids could help elephants! She passed out a list of sustainable palm oil candy just in time for Halloween along with AES logo coloring sheets for the younger classes. The kids came up with excellent questions about elephants and were very interested in what they could do to help save the Asian elephant. Vanessa looks forward to returning to the Perot Museum in the future for more elephant outreach.
Elephant Transit Home
Celebrating 20 years returning elephants to the wild
Over the past two decades the ETH has been able to release 99 elephant orphans. They are released in groups of 4-8 after rehabilitation and integration into the EHT herd. From those 99 releases only 7 have died and 15 babies have been born. So how does an elephant become an orphan? Unfortunately the answer lies with human-elephant conflict. Mothers are killed for crop raiding or are killed by accident in electrocutions and train accidents. Almost all of the orphans arrive in very poor condition with ailments ranging from dehydration to severe parasitic infestation and even congenital defects. That being said there have been many losses over the years.
Mother receiving fluids with calf at her side
Group play activities
When the orphans first arrive they are immediately given medical treatment to assess their condition. They are given milk and whatever other nutrition they require to be brought back to homeostasis. From there the new herd members are introduced to the already established herd and begin to participate in activities with the other kiddos such as swimming, grazing, and mud wallowing. What is very special about this program is it is the only one of its kind with years of data to track their successes in an Asian elephant range country. The number of elephants in Sri Lanka is just over 6,000, with about 250 living in human care. The EHT has seen and experienced so much over the years and will continue to work to save orphan elephants.
Calves receiving milk
Post release
We at AES look forward to the continued success of the EHT and are very thankful to have the opportunity to support such a dedicated group of people. Thank you, Dr. B. Vijitha Perera, Suhada Jayawardena, Neshma Kumudini, Tharaka Prasad, Department of Wildlife Conservation Sri Lanka, et. al. for the amazing work you are doing in Sri Lanka.
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.
President Linda's Road Trip
AN AUGUST ADVENTURE…. A road trip to visit elephants and their keepers.
This trip actually began a year ago when I was invited out to Woodland Park Zoo to represent Asian elephants at their Asian Animals Festival. It wasn’t possible for me to make that trip but I asked for a raincheck and so planned for a year to attend their 2016 event. I’ll begin telling you about this trip by saying that I managed to plan a 19-day, 10-zoo, family, and donor trip all around the wrong date for Woodland Park’s 2016 Asian Animals Festival! My thanks to a most generous Bobbi Miller and all at Woodland Park for a gracious ‘save’, allowing me to give a presentation about AES’ work to a very enthusiastic crowd, as well as have a wonderful visit - on the 16th of August.
But, let’s start the trip at the beginning. Cynthia Christison, an AES supporter and volunteer, agreed to accompany me on this trip, and I’ll admit up front that it would not have been as easy or as much fun had I covered what ended up being 6,126 miles on my own! An elephantine Trunks Up! to Cynthia.
We departed St. Louis on August 10th, with our first destination the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Nebraska, where elephant keeper, Joel Locke, introduced us to their African elephants. It is always good to ‘talk elephants’ and especially hear how these were settling into their new home. We had visited last year when the new barn and yards were under construction, so it was delightful to see it now finished, and inhabited! The next day, we checked out Fort Laramie (because we could) and made a spur of the moment decision to follow a sign saying Riverside Park Zoo in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. A little and quite lovely zoo, and a good break in a long day of driving.
Seattle is a good distance from Omaha, so we routed ourselves up through the Grand Tetons and included a drive-through of Yellowstone, eating our lunch while awaiting Old Faithful to, well, be faithful.
Arriving at the Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma, Washington, the morning of August 15th my first surprise was hearing someone call, “Linda!” and see Bruce Johnson, a fellow traveler with director Barbara Davis and I, on a zookeeper trip to Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in 2011. Friend Melissa Crandall and her hubby, Ed, from Connecticut, were also visiting. After my presentation to staff and volunteers, John Houck, Deputy Director, Melissa, Ed, Cynthia, and I enjoyed a great seafood lunch on the wharf, which is practically a next door neighbor to the zoo – and with a great view of Mt. Rainier! After lunch, John took us on a wonderful tour of the Point Defiance Zoo and elephant keepers Katie Burone and Piper Lieper were generous with their time, showing us the barn and introducing us to their Asian elephants, Hanako and Suki. John, Katie, and Piper, were new acquaintances, and as this trip proved over again and again, whether making new friends or reacquainting with old ones, talking elephants with those who know these amazing creatures the best and are definitely the most dedicated to them always energizes my own commitment.
Tuesday, August 16th: the day that isn’t Woodland Park Zoo’s Asian Animal Festival! What a gracious and enthusiastic group of people. The morning started having coffee and talking elephants with Bobbi and several of the docents particularly concerned about Asian elephants. Among them was Sue Connell who I first met on River’s Edge when I was on docent duty at the Saint Louis Zoo…but we knew of each other from AES’ work in Sumatra which Woodland Park Zoo, including their docents, help fund. I was humbled by the large audience of volunteers and staff that filled the auditorium for my presentation. It was good to get to say hello to Fred Koontz and Pat Maluy, who I met a few years ago but haven’t seen recently. Cynthia and I spent the afternoon visiting all of the zoo and everywhere we went, if we had a question, it was answered quickly, as I’ve yet to meet so many and such enthusiastic docents as greeted us throughout the day. And I promised Bobbi that if she invites me to a future Asian Animals Festival, I will definitely get the day right!
The next morning finds us at the Oregon Zoo in Portland where we meet up with Sharon Glaeser, a dear friend who was a director of AES in our early days and remains chair of our grants committee. Sharon has been involved with elephant research at the Oregon Zoo for many years and takes us on a grand tour of their exciting new elephant barn and yards. I have had the pleasure of visiting Oregon Zoo a few times in past years, so met both old and new friends, and always good to see their Asians: Packy, Shine, Rose-Tu, Chendra, Sam, and their little Lily.
A stop in Fremont, California, to say thank you in person to generous AES supports, George and Carol Spindler, resulted in a delightful evening visit with them, meeting their daughter, Heather, and their two rescue pooches: Lady and Bella. My initial suggestion that we meet at a restaurant was overrode by a lovely home cooked dinner. A real treat when on the road for as long as we will be!
Friday, August 19th, we drive from Fremont to Fresno and visit the Fresno Chaffee Zoo. At present, they have both Asian and African elephants and elephant keeper Kim Cook spent her day off at the zoo with us. I presented our work to both the Asian and African elephant keepers using our printout of the power point presentation, and it is delightful to hear about their elephants while watching them in person. I knew Amy from her story, A Cowboy and His Elephant, long before I met her when she resided with our friends, Scott and Heidi Riddle, where she gave birth to her daughter, Miss Betts. Heck, I first met Miss Betts as an ultrasound image which her human ‘mom’ convinced me was just the most beautiful little elephant ever. Kim has been hosting an annual CPK event for us and this was a great opportunity to give her our sincere thanks in person.
The beautiful scenery continues as we next head to Santa Barbara, California, and the Santa Barbara Zoo. Our first stop is a visit with Connie Speight, a friend I first met some years ago in Thailand, each of us working on behalf of Asian elephants via our separate nonprofit organizations. Connie has a beautiful home in the foothills. The billowing smoke from a wildfire on the other side of the Ynez Mountains is hugely impressive but not a threat….this time! Connie also was a docent and supporter of the Santa Barbara Zoo for years so she joined us the following morning when we visited and I presented AES to their staff and volunteers. Liz Beem and Liz Wilson, elephant keepers, have been hosting a CPK event for AES for the last five years; we see each other at the EMA conferences and they changed their Elephant Appreciation Day to coincide with our visit. It was great to visit again with them and Sujatha (Suzie) and Little Mac, their Asian elephants. A nice buffet lunch was served to all attending the presentations (I did two) and the afternoon was spent up by the elephant’s yard with AES brochures to share with any interested visitors while watching Suzie and Little Mac and all the elephant-related activities. A truly lovely day, capped off with a wonderful seafood dinner on the oceanfront.
Next stop: Los Angeles Zoo where Cynthia’s cousin, Jan Jashinski, joined us for a look at their Asian elephants, although we didn’t get to see their bull, Billy; then lunch, a train ride, a stop at Jan’s home and then off to Perris, California. Perris? California? Yes. We wanted to be on time the next morning for our visit at Have Trunk, Will Travel. Gary and Kari Johnson, Joann Smith, and three of their Asian elephants -Tai (I’m her #1 Groupie!), Rosie, and Kitty - made for a truly wonderful morning of being with elephants the way I need to be with elephants, up close, hands on. We talked elephants for a good four hours while we scrubbed, touched, watched, and simply enjoyed being in the company of Kitty, Rosie, and Tai. And, these people do so much to support Asian elephant medical research and conservation efforts…..this opportunity to be with them again reminds me just why I care so much about this specie’s ‘today’ and ‘tomorrow’.
Early afternoon we drove on to San Diego for three nights at my son’s home with plans to visit the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Wild Animal Park. My daughter-in-law, Geesoo, is always a lovely hostess with great kitchen talents, so again we had a nice respite from restaurants. And, of course, it is always good to see my family: Mario helped me with my phone; Rostam helped me with my computer, and their two Maltepoos, Georgie and Charlie, provided some good pooch time. We did visit the San Diego Zoo; sadly the day after the euthanasia of their ailing elderly bull, Ranchipur. I am glad I had the opportunity to see him on earlier visits and was there at this time to offer my condolences to their keepers who were very visible to their public answering questions and sharing their mutually sad moment. In spite of the circumstances, had very good visits with Robbie Clark, who has been caring for Ranchipur for the last four years and Victoria Zahn, who has been a keeper with elephants and now rhinos and whom I will be rooming with at the IEF/IRF Symposium in Singapore In November. Our second day in San Diego was to be the Wild Animal Park. It’s wonderful; I was there a few months ago with my family and thoroughly enjoyed it. However, without a specific contact to meet, Cynthia and I decided we needed a ‘day off’ and so we enjoyed the pool and the beach and both seeing and sampling some of San Diego with Geesoo chauffeuring (the only day I never drove!).
Tucson, Arizona was our destination on the 26th, and arrived late afternoon at the home of Rich and Wanda Johnson, dear friends (and AES supporters) I’ve known for many decades. It was a lovely visit and another night not in a Super 8 or Days Inn – thank you Rich and Wanda. A scrumptious hot breakfast before we headed to the Reid Park Zoo while Rich and Wanda readied to leave that afternoon for a week’s vacation. My friend Jenny Joyce, elephant manager at Grants Farm in St. Louis, introduced me to Mara Jameson and the initial understanding was she would not be in today but another keeper would visit with us. So, when we got to the elephant exhibit and met Savannah, I just dove in asking questions and presuming she had come out to greet us. Ahem. She really was headed to do something else but was most accommodating and friendly, and then Mara showed up and spent the rest of the morning with us. I often visited Reid Park back when they had two elephants: Asian, Connie, and African, Shaba and while I loved past visits with them, it was really good to be introduced to each of their new African elephants as well as seeing their great new facility.
Last stop! August 28th we visit the ABQ BioPark Zoo in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Here again I thank Jenny Joyce for introducing me to Rhonda Saiers, elephant manager, who wasn’t at the zoo that day but had keeper, Debra Valquez, meet us and introduce us to all their elephants and visit their barns. I had been there when they hosted an EMA Conference several years ago, so it was good to see their new barn and become reacquainted with their Asian elephants. It was a great finale for our trip.
August 29th: 6,126 miles and back in my own driveway! Again, my thanks to Cynthia Christison for making this journey with me. Whether renewing friendships or making new acquaintances, I am always so humbled by the welcome all these very busy elephant keepers afford us. I guess it’s simply that common bond of dedication to this amazing species that pulls us all together. While I love learning the elephants’ stories and the history of elephants in this country, what really matters is sharing our thoughts and hopes and the ways we are all making an effort for the future of all elephants. Asian as well as African numbers are spiraling downward in a horribly frightful fashion. Poaching is taking a toll, yes; but so too is loss of habitat and the resulting human-elephant conflict. I hope someday we will have sustainable populations of Asian and African elephants in this country. But it is imperative we also help them manage to not just survive, but to thrive, in their native lands. I felt the synergy amongst all the wonderful people I met on this trip – zoo staff, keepers, docents, volunteers. It lifts me up and I hope we will work together even more in the future. And none of what we do would be possible without YOU, our donors, and our supporters. Elephants truly need our help. Thank you so much for being that ‘wind beneath our wings’!
Linda Reifschneider
ERU Video
Straight from Sumatra, Indonesia!
Check out this video of the Margahayu ERU (Elephant Response Unit) team when they meet a herd of wild elephants! This is one of the many reasons these teams are so valuable. Riding on the trained elephants, it is amazing how close they can get to the wild elephants. They get a true assessment of the numbers, condition, and sex ratios of elephants in Sumatra. The information they are able to gather will be used to determine conservation strategies to help save this critically endangered species.
Dr. Sarma Update
Dr. Kushal Sarma, whom you may remember from previous elephant health clinics AES funded and the electrocuted bull elephant he got back on his feet has continued to be, in his words: ' badly busy'!
Dr. Sarma on far right directing a health clinic for mahouts and their charges
Recently, he had a call to come immediately to the neighboring state of Nagaland, where human-elephant conflict struck again. A wild bull killed four villagers and the angry residents threatened to kill him if Dr. Sarma could not remove him. Luckily, he was immobilized and relocated successfully. Not too soon thereafter a stranded elephant washed down the Brahmaputra into Bangladesh and desperately needed the doctor's expertise to be returned to its home. Dr. Sarma made the trip to help it out of its dire straits. The flooding in the area has created a disastrous situation for wildlife and humans alike.