Laos Trip 2018

LAOS & THAILAND – Elephants & People…

Asian Elephant Support has funded the Elephant Conservation Center (ECC) over the past several years with funds for supplies and equipment along with encouraging staff development by sending Kan to a mahout workshop in Sumatra.  Presently, AES is funding Dr. Christopher Stremme’s travel to visit the ECC three times this year.  He is assisting with the medical program for their elephants and helping Kan hone his vet tech skills.

Dr. Stremme also presented a PowerPoint program on elephant foot care for the mahouts, 26 men who care for the elephants daily.  His presentation was translated for the mahouts by Kan and included videos showing the mahouts in Sumatra training their elephants for foot care.

Kan translating the presentation for the mahouts

President Linda Reifschneider spent three days at the ECC during Dr. Stremme’s visit and thanks Anabel Lopez Perez, ECC Biologist, for helping with Linda’s visit, and the entire staff for the talent and dedication they bring to this elephant program

Anabel, Kan, Christopher, Mahout from Sumatra CRU

Hands Across Borders

REGIONAL TIGER, ASIAN RHINO & ELEPHANT VETERINARY WORKSHOP

Sharing Knowledge, Experience, Friendship, & Caring

In 2002, when President Linda Reifschneider decided she needed to see Asian elephants on their home turf, she looked at the map and decided on Nepal. However, traveling by herself, to a country so far from home for the first time – and not wanting a ‘tourist package’ but to really see and be with elephants - she couldn’t figure out how. An opportunity in Thailand to help take care of two orphan baby elephants, bathe them in the river, and be taught how to ride like a mahout (on elephant’s neck) sent her in that direction.

Sixteen years later: Nepal! The workshop attendees met in Kathmandu and the workshop was held in Chitwan National Park, a long, bumpy six-hour ride, but bordering the Trisuli River a good part of the way with the road hugging the steep foothills of the Himalayas, climbing up the hillside and then descending to the park borders.

Paper sessions filled two full days and among the 25 veterinarians participating in the workshop were several we have had the pleasure to work with: Dr. Christopher Stremme, Sumatra, who presented on collaring and the responsibilities that don’t end once the collar is in place but last as long as the elephant is wearing it; Dr. Zaw Min Oo, discussed the options for elephants and keepers in Myanmar who now find themselves unemployed as logging with elephants is being phased out; Dr. Kushal Sarma gave us an update on EEHV in northern India; Dr. Pham Van Thinh from Laos; Dr. Arun Zachariah from India; Dr. Khajohnpat Boonprasert (Dr. Yeaw) from Thailand; and Dr. Bhaskar Choudhary, with the Wildlife Trust of India. Also in attendance were veterinarians from the United States, Russia China, Mongolia and, of course, Nepal.

Linda sincerely believes the ability to meet each other in person and be able to network with them is one of the best take-away benefits of these workshops. To have a name and phone number of someone who may be able to offer suggestions to a problem you have not previously addressed is a great way to grow the knowledge so necessary for the future of all wildlife.

One attendee, working with the private owners in the Chitwan area, had an elephant with a ‘toothache’ brought to the conference grounds and visiting vets were able to examine her and offer the elephant’s vet and owner some various ways of addressing her problem.

Our workshop ended with a canoe ride to visit the elephant breeding facility and a game drive in Chitwan National Park. We didn’t see any wild elephants, but a sloth bear danced across the road twice for our photographic enjoyment.

AES advisor Heidi Riddle (left) and president Linda Reifschneider

Asian Elephant Support helped facilitate this workshop funded by the United States Fish & Wildlife Service and, as always, we extend our appreciation to our supporters who make it possible for us to help elephants in Asian range countries. Thank you!

Sri Lanka 2018

The elephants at Pinnewala coming in for the evening

President Linda Reifschneider headed to Sri Lanka on December 11, 2017, to visit some of the people and projects we have been funding in that lovely island nation.

Jayantha Jaywardene and his associate, Sudath, joined Linda for dinner in Colombo the evening of the 13th.  Jayantha is the driving force behind the Schools Awareness Program which has been teaching school age children in Sri Lanka about elephant conservation and human-elephant conflict solutions.  Asian Elephant Support has been delighted to help Jayantha keep this program running for class after class of school aged children.

Then Linda headed to the Udawalawe National Park area.  First stop was to visit Dr. Vijitha Perera, head veterinarian at The Elephant Transit Home (ETH).  The ETH is an orphanage for young calves who are still dependent on their mothers’ milk.  They receive 7 feedings every 24-hour period.  Their days are spent in open forested areas and secure stalls at night.  Linda had the opportunity to see a feeding at the quiet time of 10 p.m.  The following day she returned to view the first public morning feeding and then headed into Udawalawe National Park to see lots of elephants, including many who were growing up there after being weaned and old enough to leave the orphanage.

AES has been delighted to help Dr. Perera with funds to attend a vet workshop and look forward to working with him in the future.

Linda, Dr. Perera, and staff share lunch

Visiting Sri Lanka would not be complete without a stop at Yala National Park and especially a moment at the 2004 Tsunami memorial.  Linda was there a few years after the tsunami and this beautiful stretch of beach makes remembering the horrific loss of life during that event even more dramatic.

An overnight stay at The Grand Hotel in Nuwara Eliya is always a very special treat and right on the way to Kandy.  A visit to the Veterinary School at the University of Peradeniya provided a good opportunity to get updated on Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society’s EleVet program, which is another effort AES has helped fund.  And then, a special moment: the opportunity to visit the Kandy Temple elephants.  Usually one only gets to see these elephants when they are on parade during a festival.  So, to see their ‘digs’ and meet the mahouts who care for them daily was quite a privilege!  Thanks to Dr.  Ashoka Dangolla, professor at the University of Peradeniya, for facilitating this opportunity.

Of course, one does not go to Kandy without visiting Pinnewala, the largest and first elephant sanctuary in Sri Lanka.  Linda was given a very good tour and visited with their elephants and staff.  From there she joined Dr. Dangolla at The Millennium Elephant Sanctuary, down the road from Pinnewala, to visit with the volunteers helping care for those elephants.

Linda with a bull in Kandy

Finally, on to Wasgamuwa: Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Sanctuary’s (SLWCS)
headquarters and where Linda spent two weeks on her first visit to the island volunteering in Ravi Corea’s Earthwatch project.  Ravi is the founder and president of SLWCS and offers excellent volunteer opportunities for those wanting to learn more about Asian elephant conservation, and all the challenges facing these magnificent creatures, on a firsthand basis.

Back to Colombo for Christmas Day, the anticipated manicure, pedicure, and massage didn’t happen: that staff was off for the Christmas festival!

While AES is a totally voluntary nonprofit and we cover all our own travel expenses, YOU, our supporters, are the ones who make it possible for us to fund these various beneficial projects and needs.  Thank you for helping us help elephants!

An elephant on the side of the road at Udawalawe National Park

Dr. Kushal - Update from India

Dr. Kushal visited Kaziranga National Park in late October.  He operated upon the foot of a private female elephant to remove a foreign body from her foot, and also operated upon another female with a fistular wound on her foot.  He attended to five elephants altogether.  One can see the importance for routine foot care in the management of elephants in human care.
 

Mahout Workshop and Exchange Program

Meeting, Learning, Sharing, & Knowing There are Others 'Out There' You Can Reach Out To...

This is what a Mahout Workshop is all about!

A mahout is the #1 person in a captive elephant’s life. Often there will be a close ‘second’ as backstop. These are the people in whose hands are entrusted the lives of these majestic creatures.
 
In 2006, the first mahout workshop was held in Sumatra, Indonesia. We could see a need for getting these people together. Often mahouts spend most of their lives in quiet, rural, sparsely populated areas, and sometimes with few, if any, other elephants and mahouts nearby. We were not sure if our invitation to attend this first workshop would be accepted or ignored, but the event ended up quite successful and proved these individuals do care, want to learn, and appreciate the ability to network with others sharing their career.
 
Fast forward to 2017 to the 8th mahout workshop, which was held with an additional dimension added: two mahouts from government camps in India attended the workshop in Sumatra. Mr. Vasantha from the Mattigodu Elephant Camp and Mr. Nayaz Pasha from the Dubare Elephant Camp, as well as Dr. Mamatha, from India, were all able to go. For the two gentlemen, it was their first time travelling out of the country and by plane! AES has funded the multiple workshops she has held for three government camps.

Please take a moment to read Dr. Mamatha’s report. It will bring the reality of caring for Asian elephants and helping their caregivers into focus for you and includes many pictures. And THANK YOU, for your financial support – every dollar is put into our projects and you are the one making these good moments happen.

Update on Little Linda from Sumatra

Little Linda is learning good manners from her mahout...

Community Engagement & Elephant Habitat Restoration in Royal Manas National Park, Bhutan

Villagers that worked on the construction

Villagers maintaining the mineral salts around the watering holes

Last March, Jigme Dorji of the Royal Manas National Park Department of Forestry approached us for funds to begin a community-led habitat restoration project.  The village of Tanzema has lived with wild elephants near them for generations and they are now dedicated to restoring their habitat.

The goal for the local residents and farmers is to mitigate human-elephant conflict in the most effective and wildlife-friendly manner as possible. This includes replanting of forest areas to encourage natural foraging, providing a clean water source and mineral salt lick, and the construction of a community center.  It is important to note that this project was proposed by the villagers and the labor is being done by them.

The beginning stages of the community center

While the clean water system is being built to deter elephants and keep them on the perimeter of their city, it is also helping to provide the people of the community with clean drinking water.  While the watering holes will be most useful in winter, the salt licks are replenished monthly.  The sites seem to be getting much traffic from elephants!

We are happy to report that the community center is 50% complete.  It will have a meeting hall, a prayer center, two guest houses, and bathrooms.

So far the villagers have encountered one elephant that came into the village that stayed for two days; they were able to chase him away without the use of any negative stimuli.  Two cows were taken and eaten by Bengal tigers during the project which only strengthened the resolved of the villagers to find and use the best methods possible to keep both people and animals safe.

HDPE piping supplies for the water systems

In the next year, the community hopes to plant native trees for the elephants to eat and construct a nature trail.  We very much look forward to continued updates from this area.  We are inspired by the villagers’ dedication to protecting and coexisting with their natural surroundings.  

2017 ZAA Conference

This past November, secretary Vanessa Gagne attended the Zoological Association of America’s annual conference hosted by the San Antonio Zoo.

Vanessa presented a poster during one of the coffee breaks
on human-elephant conflict and the palm oil crisis which gave
her the opportunity to talk with attendees about the realities Asian elephants face in their shrinking habitat.  

The presenters came from a wide variety of backgrounds, including animal trainers, conservationists, and zoo directors.  Attendees were treated to a grand tour of the San Antonio Zoo where we met their baby hippo, fed giraffes, and saw their impressive Mexican reptile collection.  

Vanessa and her husband Michael were glad to be able to visit with fellow EMA member and SAZ mammal curator, Jonathan Reding.  We hope to attend more ZAA conferences in the future and become a part of their conservation message. 

Little Rock Zoo Elephant Appreciation Day 2017

ELEPHANTS HELPING ELEPHANTS….and having fun doing so!

Linda, Carl, and the LRZ Elephant Crew

Little Rock Zoo and the Little Rock Zoo American Association of Zoo Keepers have most generously helped fund Asian Elephant Support’s work for many years and 2017 was no exception.  Returning from a month in Kenya on 20 September, Linda and Carl hit the road heading toward Little Rock on the 21st…with all the nonprofit items packed and ready to roll.  No way would we not be there for an event that would benefit Asian Elephant Support’s work as well as the great enthusiasm and friendship enjoyed whenever we head to the Pecan and Pine Tree State!

Babe artfully expressing herself

Like AES, Little Rock Zoo and her public truly appreciate Asian elephants and a good turnout was experienced all three days (22nd-24th) with lots of keeper chats, special treats for Zina, Sophie, and Babe, and the opportunity for the public to enter the elephants’ barn to see their digs and some of their toys as well as the equipment used to keep them healthy and happy.  Babe, the consummate artist, painted over 100 canvases for the three-day event, and almost every one was sold, with all proceeds to AES to help her wild cousins in range countries.  Babe was born in one of the Myanma Timber Enterprise camps in Myanmar, and had been tattooed with the MTE star brand before coming to America with several other MTE juveniles.  The star inevitably brings lots of comments and questions from the public who have not previously met Babe and thus opens the way for some good conversations and educational moments for Little Rock Zoo’s visitors.

Our table of materials

In addition to donations and sales of AES merchandise during the event, a month later at the Elephant Managers Association conference in Columbus, OH, Little Rock AAZK’s Kristin Warner presented AES with a check for $1,269 representing the proceeds from the event.  We can only promise to use this gift as thoughtfully as possible to best help elephants in Asia as our friends (people and elephants!) in Little Rock would want. 

Beautiful collage of elephant art

Linda presenting

Our logo hand drawn in sidewalk chalk

Thanks again to keepers Kristin Warner, Johnny Renuard, Justin Marren, Ellie Wheeler, Ashley Davenport, Little Rock AAZK, Susan Altrui, Zoo Director, and the very special Zina, Sophie, and 'the Babe with the star on her hip'......  Your kindness to us and commitment to Asian elephants is truly appreciated!
 

2017 EMA Conference

This past October Linda and Vanessa attended the EMA conference in Columbus, Ohio.  The week was kicked off with a visit to the Cincinnati Zoo.

Janet Dray, left, and President Linda, right, giving Schottzie a scrub (also pictured on the far left, Cecil Jackson Jr., Cincinnati Zoo Elephant Manager)

There were two days of paper presentations and a couple of round-table discussions for all attendees to participate.

Linda and Vanessa had a table with the other vendors and sold Elefantea, shirts, greeting cards, some lovely necklaces made by Sharon Glaeser, and of course were there to talk range country conservation!

Kristen Warner, Elephant Manager at Little Rock Zoo, left, and Linda with the proceeds from Little Rock Zoo AAZK Elephant Appreciation Day

Linda presented on our past projects and Vanessa was there not only representing AES, but she also is the Social Media Committee Chair for the EMA.  The keynote speaker this year was none other than Dr. Christopher Stremme, the veterinarian from Sumatra whom we sponsor.

Linda presenting our project updates

They enjoyed a day at the world renowned Columbus Zoo and a post-trip to The Wilds, a conservation center out in the country by Evansville, Ohio.  AES is proud to have three out of the four board members as professional members of the EMA.  We are always thankful to be a part of the elephant community here in the United States and abroad.  We look forward to the conference next year in Miami!

P.S. We were surrounded by luck with baby rhinos!  One had just been born at Cincinnati and one was born at The Wilds the day of our Columbus Zoo visit.

Michael Gagne, Secretary Vanessa Gagne, and Sarah Conley of International Elephant Foundation are very close friends and enjoyed being able to hang out at the conference

Expanding the Conservation Network of Asian Mahouts

Spotlight on our very own Mamatha, Nazar, and Heidi Riddle:  AES has long provided opportunities for mahouts to gain more hands on knowledge about elephant husbandry.  We have supported FOKMAS in Sumatra for many years and we were able to fund travel for two Indian mahouts from forest camps in Karnataka, India, to the FOKMAS workshop to share information.  The forest camps in Karnataka also use elephants in human care to mitigate human-elephant conflict; exactly like their Sumatran counterparts in the CRUs and ERUs.  The following article explains how the two country’s mahouts were able to find common ground and lift one another up with education.

Need a baby elephant fix?

Have a look at our two newest uploads straight from the jungle in Sumatra.

Expanding the Conservation Network of Asian Mahouts

Spotlight on our very own Mamatha, Nazar, and Heidi Riddle:  AES has long provided opportunities for mahouts to gain more hands on knowledge about elephant husbandry.  We have supported FOKMAS in Sumatra for many years and we were able to fund travel for two Indian mahouts from forest camps in Karnataka, India, to the FOKMAS workshop to share information.  The forest camps in Karnataka also use elephants in human care to mitigate human-elephant conflict; exactly like their Sumatran counterparts in the CRUs and ERUs.  The following article explains how the two country’s mahouts were able to find common ground and lift one another up with education.

FOKMAS Conference

Check out this video from FOKMAS from their conference this past February.  FOKMAS is a group of mahouts in Sumatra that gather each year to share information about best husbandry practices, veterinary care, and living with elephants.

Pictures from Tegal Yoso, Sumatra

Conservation Response Unit

Linda and Cory, the calves from Tegal Yoso provide a wealth of adorable pictures, especially during bath time.

EleFriendly Bus Update

Happy 1st Birthday!

We are proud to announce that the EleFriendly bus held its first birthday celebration event on September 9, 2017 in the Wasgamuwa National park region.  The EleFriendly bus has been helping to mitigate human elephant conflict along one of the oldest and busiest elephant corridors.  This bus has been able to change local villagers' attitudes toward elephants by providing safe transportation for children to and from school free of charge while adults pay a nominal fee for travel.

The EleFriendly bus celebration included an art competition in which submissions showed the changing views of the villagers in the form of elephants and humans living happily together, all thanks to the bus. People's lives in this area have changed for the better as well: children are able to attend schools more frequently and hardly miss a day, and the adult villagers are able to travel to work without the risk of elephants.

Human-elephant conflict has decreased over 80% since the bus’s introduction to the area. We are proud to continue supporting this innovative project by SLWCS that is assisting in reducing the human-elephant conflict, promoting conservation of the species, and helping the local villagers live happily among these giants. 

Update from the Field

Dr. Sarma was busy in September with the floods in India.

Here, he can be seen treating Jonmani (50) and Rupaliod (14), who were stranded in rising waters.  

Pacific Northwest Outreach

August 10th, Grants Chair Sharon Glaeser, arranged for Linda to present AES to staff and volunteers at the Oregon Zoo in Portland.  She also had a great time checking up on Ruka, young male black rhino born at the Saint Louis Zoo, where Linda is a docent, who now resides in Oregon with his 'young lady'.  On the 12th, Linda visited with the elephant keepers at Pt. Defiance Zoo where she had presented the previous year, and on the 14th had a table at the Woodland Park Zoo (Seattle, WA) annual Asian Animals Festival. This year Linda got there on the right date, instead of two days late (oops!) but still had a great turnout that year for a presentation of AES' work. 

All three of these zoos have supported our work over the past years, with Woodland Park as an especially strong donor to Dr. Christopher Stremme's work in Sumatra.  Linda would like to especially thank Sharon, Shanon Smith at Point Defiance, and Bobbi Miller at Woodland Park for their great hospitality and support of our work.

Texas Trip, July 2017

VISITING FRIENDS IN TEXAS

In July, president Linda combined a family reunion in Galveston with visits to the San Antonio Zoo, to meet and thank the keepers there who came on board this year to host a California Pizza Kitchen event, and to stop by and say hello to all our friends at the Houston Zoo.

We were welcomed warmly by Jonathan Reding, curator at the San Antonio Zoo, and met their elephants, had lunch, and shared our concerns about Asian elephants.

Linda was going to visit Houston until she saw a new calf had arrived so she decided to send congratulations but defer her visit to another time.  You know how it is with a new baby, everyone involved is VERY busy!  However, Shanti was very experienced and calm and the new little girl, Joy, was doing very well.  They were being introduced to their adoring public, so almost to Austin on the way home to St. Louis, Linda, and an obliging Carl, did a (ahem) slight detour back to Houston.  How very worth the added miles, and all our best wishes and congratulations go out to the Houston Elephant Barn crew and their wonderful Asian elephants.

A Garden for the Mega Forest Gardeners: The Suan Xang Project

Vivre Avec Les Elephants:  Elephants in Laos

Asian Elephant Support is proud to add The Suan Xang Project (translating to the elephant garden) as the newest addition to our projects taking place in Laos.  Vivre Avec Les Elephants, a French and Laos based organization, is creating an edible garden for elephants within the Hongsa District, located in the province of Sayaboury. This innovative project is establishing a place that provides for the long term welfare of elephants within the community in an effort to help perpetuate and ensure not only lasting bonds, but the support of elephants within the local villages during the tourist off season.  Currently the garden project is in its beginning phase, but upon completion it will provide free access to vegetation for every elephant located within the surrounding communities.

The first mahout and elephant to visit the garden

During the tourist season elephants are provided with care and food by their employer, but during the off season Suan Xang is working towards filling the gap left behind to keep elephants in the district. Hongsa is home to roughly 65 elephants that will aid in the upkeep of Suan Xang just by entering the garden. Elephants are a keystone species and known as the “natural gardeners” of the forest. They enhance and conserve plant biodiversity within their biome by knocking down taller plants, allowing sunlight to filter down through the canopy, while their dung acts as a great seed disperser and fertilizer.  Besides the use of edible plants, Suan Xang is also creating a herbarium that will be populated with medicinal plants known by both elephants and mahouts for their multiple uses to naturally alleviate ailments that affect elephants.

By working for and alongside the local community the Suan Xang Project plays a vital role in educating present and future generations about the importance of conservation through direct involvement. Future phases of this project also include a museum concentrating on elephants, allowing for the community to gain knowledge about the impact that elephants have played throughout their own culture and history.  Once open to the public, the garden’s museum will assist in the sharing of local elephant knowledge and experience through workshops and conferences.

AES began funding the Suan Xang Project to assist in the implementation of the first phases in November of 2016. Since our first donation Vivre Avec Les Elephants has more than hit the ground running and are well on their way through the first two phases of the project. Six hectares of land were purchased in March of 2017 and the delineation of land and structural work has begun, as well as recruitment of local staff.  A water source is extremely vital in elephant and garden welfare, we are happy to announce that two different sites were found on the purchased land. The month of April brought with it the installation of a water pump, the clearing of land for structures, and 12 recruits from the local village.  Plant exploration for the herbarium has been underway and many species have been found growing naturally within the area as a food source and medicine.

Suan Xang will have two different types of grand openings, the first for the elephants and their owners which took place this past May.  The second opening will be for the local villagers and tourists alike. Plans in the future include a research station for scientists to study elephants in situ as well as the plant base within the garden. With continued support from sponsors like you we will continue to assist innovative programs and help in the completion of this project.