CMU February 2025 Updates

For a short month, the Chiang Mai University Mobile Vet Clinic was busy with several cases. Interestingly, 45% of the cases last month were due to eye concerns. There were also a handful of wounds which needed tending, a couple of foot injuries and a nursing issue.

Upon arrival at their first case, the team found the elephant standing calmly in front of tourists, eating, and appearing generally fine. However, her left eye exhibited excessive tearing and squinting. A visible wooden stick was embedded at the outer corner of the eye, and the third eyelid was swollen and protruding, obscuring the eyeball. To the vet’s surprise, the stick was larger and longer than expected. Fortunately, there was no bleeding after extraction. The eye was rinsed with a saline solution and treated with antibiotic eye drops. Once the pain subsided, a hole-like wound was observed. Given the risk of deeper injury, the cow was transferred to hospital for further diagnostic imaging and intensive care. Thankfully, the eye globe structure remained unharmed, and her vision was preserved.

The surprisingly large stick removed the elephant’s eye

At the second case, the mahout reported an adult female elephant experiencing excessive tearing for a couple of days and noted that she had been playing in the dirt frequently. In response, they began cleaning her eye with clean water more frequently. Upon examination, the veterinarian observed a whitish spot on the cornea, diagnosing a superficial corneal ulcer. After demonstrating the proper application of topical eye drops to the mahout, recommending administration four times daily, and an anti-inflammatory drug was provided for three consecutive days the team also advised keeping the elephant in the shade to enhance her comfort and support healing. At the follow-up visit two weeks later, her eye had cleared completely.

Eye with white corneal ulcer

The other two cases of lacrimation (excessive tearing) were similar cases in two very different patients. One case was that of an adult female and the other a two-month-old calf. In both cases, fluorescein staining was performed, and both results were negative, confirming no corneal damage and mahouts at both locations were instructed in methods to help rinse and clean the eyes of their elephants, especially after playing in the mud and dirt.

The young calf tearing consistently

In addition to the other cases the CMU Mobile Vet Clinic was requested to conduct a health examination, with a focus on foot care, for an adult male tusker elephant who had sustained injuries from a mine explosion 10 years ago. He had chronic wounds on both hind limbs and was recently rescued and transported from a border area to a camp in Mae Rim. In terms of gait analysis, he was able to bear weight on all four limbs. The mahout led him into the river for a bath before the examination. During the assessment, they found a severely open wound on the left hind footpad. The right hind foot had an open wound on the footpad and an abscess at the nail base, which extended deep into the foot. Both wounds emitted a strong odor. Due to the lack of appropriate facilities for foot trimming and intensive foot care, and since the elephant was still in the process of training and familiarizing himself with the mahout, the team focused on wound management and trained the mahout team on proper wound care techniques suitable for the current situation. The wound care process involved cleaning the affected areas with a chlorhexidine solution, brushing out debris and dirt, and repeatedly rinsing with saline and povidone-iodine solution. After drying the wounds with gauze, an antibiotic ointment was then applied.

Tusker favoring his right rear foot

Abscesses on the rear feet of the tusker with old mine wounds

We are so grateful for the continuing efforts of the Chiang Mai University Mobile Vet Clinic Team! Help AES continue to support them as they strive to make a better future for Thai elephants, by donating TODAY at www.asianelephantsupport.org/donate

CMU Mobile Vet Clinic January Updates

Each year, organizations responsible for elephant health conduct a population census and provide health services for all elephants in human care in Chiang Mai. The 2025 event took place over the last two weeks of January and involved collaboration between the Center of Elephant Research and Health Service under the Division of Animal Welfare and Veterinary Service of the Department of Livestock Development, the Thai Elephant Conservation Center (TECC), and the Center of Elephant and Wildlife Health at Chiang Mai University. The event focused on conducting a population census, performing health checks, providing antiparasitic treatments, vitamins, and basic medical supplies to the elephants.

During the census, the team did not finalize a summary of the total number of elephants in Chiang Mai yet, but the estimate seems to be approximately same as last year, around 830-870. Most of the elephants were in good body condition. A few had minor health issues, for which the team provided recommendations and guidance to their owners and mahouts. Most of the health issues noted were dry eyes and skin. This year, the team was excited to also meet many newborn elephants in both Mae Wang and Mae Tang areas.

Two “naughty” one-year-old calves run around camp during health checks

The few cases during the beginning of the month were on the milder side. There were a couple of gastrointestinal discomfort cases, an eye irritation case, and a couple of wounds requiring therapy and care.

The owner of a middle-aged female elephant who was presenting with excessive tears from her eyes contacted the CMU Mobile Vet Team. She said that she had tried to clean the eyes and apply eye drops for a week but it was not better. Upon the examination, the elephant’s face was covered with the red dirt and excessive tears showed on both eyes. The right eye was found to have a cloudy scar on the cornea, whereas the left eye showed mild cloudy and more excessive tear. The vets cleaned the eyes then, fluorescein staining was done to ensure there were no obvious ulcers. It was suggested the elephant be kept in a shaded area, the eye rinsed several times, and a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug applied.

The vets using stain to check for ulcers in the eye

One of the wounds being cared for was an older wound from last month that was still requiring treatment. While the wound showed significant improvement, it had not yet fully healed, so laser treatment remained ongoing.

Visiting vet student learns to use the laser for wound treatment

The second wound was a ruptured mass on the elephant’s left elbow. The owner was unsure about wound care. The mass was large, firm, and had a thin, ruptured center. The wound was cleaned with saline and an antiseptic solution, followed by alcohol and povidone-iodine applications. Then the wound was widened with a small incision to improve drainage and cleaning. Given the risk of infection, the vet advised the owner and mahout to clean the wound regularly and apply antibiotic ointment until it healed.

The third wound was a mother elephant with bleeding at her teat. Her 1.5-month-old calf had started teething and unintentionally injured her nipple while nursing. Upon examination, a fresh wound on her right nipple was found, but the bleeding had stopped, and milk flow remained unaffected. The mother did not resist nursing on either side. The mahout was advised to clean the wound only with saline, drying it with a clean cloth, and avoiding any medication to ensure safe nursing for the calf.

Mom with teething calf

We are so grateful for the continuing efforts of the Chiang Mai University Mobile Vet Clinic Team! Help AES continue to support them as they strive to make a better future for Thai elephants, by donating TODAY at www.asianelephantsupport.org/donate

Sumatra Veterinary Medicine Seminar

Near the end of 2024, our partners in Sumatra conducted multiple 2-day seminars on elephant health care for students in their final year of veterinary school. Classroom lectures were conducted on the first day, while the second day consisted of hands-on practical demonstrations. The veterinary students were able to practice what they have learned on patrol elephants from the Saree elephant camp in Aceh Besar regency and CRU (Conservation Response Unit) Sampoinet camp in Aceh Jaya regency. The workshops focused on teaching the veterinary students safety precautions when working with elephants, clinical examinations, drug administration, sample collection, and foot care.

Students learned both in lectures and hands-on setting

We are grateful for our partners in Sumatra, Indonesia who are dedicated to educating future generations of wildlife veterinarians. Help us continue to support this important training by becoming a monthly donor today at www.asianelephantsupport.org/donate

CMU Mobile Vet Clinic Updates

New beginnings for the new year seems like the perfect theme for this update from Thailand. So, what better way to start the new year than with news from the Chiang Mai University (CMU) Mobile Vet Clinic team than to talk about babies and the future elephant vets of the world? The roster of the month also included some of the more typical calls like gastrointestinal upset, stiffness, abscesses, and wound care which kept the team busy. Thanks to the team with the CMU Mobile Vet Clinic for all they are doing to improve the lives of elephants now and into the future.

The vet staff of the center and the Thai Elephant Conservation Center (TECC) welcomed and facilitated vet students from Ohio State University in a short training program about elephant medicine at TECC on December 19-20. They discussed topics of management and welfare in 4 groups of elephants. The students got to practice a full physical examination of elephants, and they also learned and practiced medical treatment with cases at the elephant hospital under the supervision of a professional veterinarian as well. This program provided a good opportunity for experiencing to vet students about Asian elephants.

Ohio State University veterinary students at TECC

On December 10, the veterinarian received a call at 3 AM about a new mother elephant showing signs of labor. She gave birth to a healthy male calf at 5:50 AM. Although the calf was strong, the new mother reacted aggressively toward him. The team quickly stepped in to assist, restraining the mother and gradually introducing the calf to her. The placenta had not yet been expelled, and the mother was still agitated when the team attempted to bring the baby to nurse. After 4 hours, the veterinarian administered an oxytocin injection to help the mother expel the placenta and stimulate milk letdown. The team and the vets tried introducing the calf to mom over and over every 30 minutes to 1 hour all day long without much luck. They even started manually milking mom when presenting the calf. Fortunately, by the next morning, nearly 24 hours after birth, the mother had learned to accept the calf and allow him to nurse. The following day when the vets followed up on the calf, they found that he was staying close to his mother and successfully nursing.

(Left) Attempting to introduce the calf to mom in order to nurse
(Right) Calf finally nursing at vet follow-up visit

The veterinarian examined a calf born in November whose mother had a mammary teat defect. The left teat was atrophied, while the right teat was abnormally shaped, making it difficult for the calf to nurse. A few days later, the mother showed signs of agalactia (reduced milk production and letdown). Both the mother and calf were sent to the foundation hospital in Lampang for care. After two weeks, they returned to the camp. The camp vet and the owner requested the CMU mobile vet team to monitor the calf’s health. Upon arrival, they found the calf walking at the forest’s edge with his mother and the herd. The calf was alert, but was very small and thin. It was recommended to keep them in an enclosure to allow the calf to nurse more frequently and get adequate rest.
 

The calf was active and alert, but thin

The owner of an elephant in Mae Wang contacted the CMU mobile vet regarding a newborn calf, which was born on December 10 at 5:35 PM. By the following morning, the calf had not been able to nurse. While the mother elephant did not harm the baby, the calf was unable to find the teat. Due to the lack of sucking or stimulation, the mother’s milk production was reduced. The veterinarian examined both the mother and calf, and they were both healthy. The vet administered the oxytocin to the mother to promote the milk letdown. In addition, the vet recommended that the calf be brought to the mother for milking at least once every hour. After nearly a full day, the mahout reported that the calf still could not nurse. They sought advice on hand-rearing the calf to prevent starvation and weakness. Happily, after 2-3 days the calf was able to nurse on his own.

The new mom with her little boy who was named Maoi.

We are so grateful for the continuing efforts of the Chiang Mai University Mobile Vet Clinic Team! Help AES continue to support them as they strive to make a better future for Thai elephants, by donating TODAY at www.asianelephantsupport.org/donate

CMU Mobile Vet Clinic Updates

November was a very busy month for the CMU Mobile Vet team. There were over a dozen cases with several of them requiring follow-up visits. From the typical cases dealing with wounds and gastrointestinal issues to support for musth bull management and pregnant females.

Early in the month, the team was called to treat a 21-month-old calf with gastrointestinal discomfort and parasites in her fecals. To be safe, the calf was tested for EEHV. Gratefully, after a negative test result, the administration of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, an anti-parasitic medication, and a three-day course of deworming medication the calf’s condition improved and her feces returned to normal. Later in the month, the vets received a call regarding a 52-year-old cow with digestive discomfort. The mahout reported that she hadn’t defecated yet, had laid down twice, and refused to eat. A full history showed she had a history of digestive issues, including the discovery of a small piece of tooth, and her feces had been consistently large and coarse. After fluids, transrectal palpation, and plenty of supportive care the cow was feeling better. The vets instructed the mahout on food management, suggesting chopped grass mixed with pellets, and the cow ate well.

Elder cow feeding happily on chopped grass and pellet

On two separate occasions, the CMU Mobile Vets were called to help support the relocation of two musthy bulls. While each case was different, both bulls needed to be sedated to assist in their safe transfer to areas better equipped to manage each bull during their musth season for their safety, as well as, the safety of the mahouts and other elephants. Musth bulls can be extremely challenging and dangerous to work with. Thankfully, the CMU Mobile Vets were able to aid mahouts for good outcomes!

Vets prepped sedative darts for musth bull management

Several of the cases over the course of the month involved the ups and downs of pregnancy in elephants. The CMU Mobile Clinic vets were called in to assist in ultrasounds on two cows. The team could not visualize the calf in one case, probably due to mom’s large size. In the other instance, the vets were able to assess the condition of a cow experiencing dystocia. They were able to visualize the rib cage of the fetus, but were unable to detect a heartbeat. The mother had labored on and off for a couple days and had made no progress; she passed the deceased fetus a week later. Happily, at the end of the month the vets were called to a remote area in Mae Wang to check on a mom and her newborn calf who had been born early that morning at 3 am. All was well with mom and baby. The little girl was strong and already nursing well.

Vet detecting the ribs of baby during dystocia

Healthy, happy newborn and mom

Help AES continue to support the efforts of the CMU vet team in caring for Thai elephants, by donating TODAY at www.asianelephantsupport.org/donate

Update! Rescued baby Sumatran elephant

A few months ago, we shared information that our field partners in Sumatra, the Veterinarians from the Wildlife Ambulance, were asked to provide veterinary expertise for the treatment and rescue of an abandoned sick wild elephant calf in Aceh province.

A herd of elephants had raided agricultural crops where farmers had a small storage hut for equipment and fertilizers. The elephants destroyed some of the bags of fertilizer. It appeared that the calf had likely consumed some of the fertilizer causing severe gastrointestinal illness.  The calf had rubbed his eyes with its fertilizer contaminated trunk causing significant eye inflammation and corneal ulcers. While stumbling around blind, the calf also sustained some abrasive wounds on his body.  The calf was unable to follow the herd and needed intense treatment, so the decision was made to rescue the calf and bring it to camp for treatment and monitoring.

The calf, named Gary, is now doing very well and has recovered from the abrasive wounds. He is blind in one eye but has adapted well to slightly diminished eyesight.

We are grateful for the efforts of the Veterinarians of the Wildlife Ambulance and the field staff who work tirelessly to provide medical care for critically endangered Sumatran elephants and other wildlife.

Calf, Gary, with eye injury. And Gary adapting well to his visual impairment

YOU can HELP make a difference for elephants in Asia by donating HERE
or via Venmo @asianelephantsupport

Veterinary Care for Sumatra's Elephants

We are pleased to provide support for veterinary care of elephants and other wildlife in Sumatra along with our veterinary field partner, the Wildlife Ambulance from the Syiah Kuala University Veterinary Faculty in Aceh.

The Wildlife Ambulance Veterinarians provide routine health care to the camp elephants in Aceh. These health checks include weighing each elephant regularly, assessing body condition, and providing needed treatments.

These visits also serve as a training opportunity for veterinary students who assist in examining the elephants and collecting samples.

Veterinary students training with a staff of the Wildlife Ambulance

CMU Mobile Vet Clinic October Updates

 In early October, heavy rains caused significant water flow from remote areas into the Mae Tang River, leading to a sharp rise in the river’s water level. Many elephant camps, located near the river, experienced flooding. Most camps were prepared and had moved elephants from high-risk areas to higher ground for safety. October 4 marked the peak of the flooding, when access to Mae Tang was cut off, and only boats could navigate through. Fortunately, the water level began to recede the next day, allowing cars to pass, though the routes remained challenging due to mud.

Numerous organizations, including the Department of Livestock Development (DLD), the Thai Elephant Conservation Center (TECC), the Department of National Parks (DNP), and various government and private sectors, provided assistance to the affected elephant camps. The Chiang Mai University (CMU) vet team collaborated with DLD, DNP, and TECC veterinarians to conduct a population count in a large camp where elephants had been dispersed due to the flooding. They also advised on essential plans for proper management and care for the elephants during the flooding event.

The team providing counts and check-ups on relocated elephants after the flood

During the post-disaster recovery period, the CMU vet team and the TECC veterinary team provided targeted veterinary services for elephants in Mae Tang. The visit aimed to monitor elephant health, collect samples for testing flooding-related diseases (such as leptospirosis and parasitic infections), and administer deworming medication. From their field visits, the team observed that each camp was undergoing reconstruction. Most elephants were safe and food supplies were largely unaffected, thanks to the support from various organizations and individuals who provided elephant food and supplements.

Help AES continue to support the CMU vet team to assist with natural disasters, just like the recent flooding, by donating TODAY at www.asianelephantsupport.org/donate

CMU Flooding Update

n early October, heavy rains caused significant water flow from remote areas into the Mae Tang River, leading to a sharp rise in the river’s water level. Many elephant camps, located near the river, experienced flooding. Most camps were prepared and had moved elephants from high-risk areas to higher ground for safety. October 4 marked the peak of the flooding, when access to Mae Tang was cut off, and only boats could navigate through. Fortunately, the water level began to recede the next day, allowing cars to pass, though the routes remained challenging due to mud.

Numerous organizations, including the Department of Livestock Development (DLD), the Thai Elephant Conservation Center (TECC), the Department of National Parks (DNP), and various government and private sectors, provided assistance to the affected elephant camps. The Chiang Mai University (CMU) vet team collaborated with DLD, DNP, and TECC veterinarians to conduct a population count in a large camp where elephants had been dispersed due to the flooding. They also advised on essential plans for proper management and care for the elephants during the flooding event.

During the post-disaster recovery period, the CMU vet team and the TECC veterinary team provided targeted veterinary services for elephants in Mae Tang. The visit aimed to monitor elephant health, collect samples for testing flooding-related diseases (such as leptospirosis and parasitic infections), and administer deworming medication. From their field visits, the team observed that each camp was undergoing reconstruction. Most elephants were safe and food supplies were largely unaffected, thanks to the support from various organizations and individuals who provided elephant food and supplements.

Help AES continue to support the CMU vet team to assist with natural disasters, just like the recent flooding, by donating today at www.asianelephantsupport.org/donate

Elephant Distribution in Malaysia

The elephant distribution in Malaysia has now been successfully mapped!

AES supported an initiative by the Government of Malaysia to host a consultation workshop mapping the distribution of elephants in Peninsular Malaysia.

The workshop was facilitated by the IUCN-SSC Asian Elephant Specialist Group.

Sumatran Veterinary Seminars

A few months ago, our partners in Sumatra conducted a two-day seminar on elephant health care for final year veterinary students. The first day of the workshop consisted of classroom lectures. The second day of the workshop focused on practical demonstrations and training on patrol elephants from nearby Conservation Response Units. The veterinary students were taught about safety concerns when working with elephants, clinical examination in elephants, drug administration, sample collection, and footcare in elephants. We are grateful for the veterinarians who are committed to educating future generations of wildlife veterinarians!

Students take part in hands-on demonstrations learning aspects of elephant care

Myanmar Elephant Workshop

Earlier this year, with support from Asian Elephant Support, the Myanma Timber Enterprise (MTE) hosted a two-day workshop. A total of 52 MTE representatives attended the workshop and gave presentations about their experiences. Their discussions shared information about elephant conservation-based tourism, wild elephant conservation management, preventative methodologies to reduce human-elephant conflicts, captive elephant health care (including EEHV), treatments, health issues, and the population growth of MTE elephants. We are grateful for the efforts of the MTE Veterinarians who care for endangered elephants in Myanmar!

MTE workshop attendees discuss elephant related topics

Chiang Mai University Mobile Veterinary Clinic July Update

The CMU Mobile Vet team stayed busy in July collaborating with others across the region to provide support for a standing sedation to test a 60-year-old elephant for tuberculosis, provide advice and discuss elephant health topics at a local camp, conduct a training course for Long Island University students with the TECC team, and assisted in the annual health check program for elephants in the Mae Wang region.

Elephant after her annual health check up

Thankfully, there was only a small number of additional, relatively minor, cases that needed their attention as well in July. Among the cases the CMU team visited were a minor mouth injury that, while not very pretty, seemed to cause no issues or pain for the patient and so the vets recommended no major actions and observations to make sure it doesn’t worsen. There was also a case of GI upset in a 40-year-old that had resolved with advice to hydrate more often and a suggested uphill hike with her mahout. And a tall, handsome bull presented with a chronic abscess on his left forelimb. The vet cleaned and removed the dirt outside with chlorhexidine scrub, rinsed with saline irrigation, then drained the abscess revealing the narrow tract. Finally, they dried it with a cotton swab and gauze then put bacitracin ointment on it.

Bull with abscess being treated

There were also a few cases involving young elephants this month. The first was a 13-year-old who presented with right forelimb stiffness. When the vets observed her gait, they found that she could not flex her elbow joint. After a course of painkillers, topical treatments, and a daily warm massage regimen she showed improvement. The next case was a young 5-month-old calf experiencing mild lameness with a slightly swollen left hind leg. The CMU vets examined the leg and foot pad, both of which presented nothing abnormal. The little bull was also bright, alert, and acting normal otherwise. After a round of anti-inflammatory meds and a topical treatment the calf showed great improvement.

Bright, attentive little bull with mild lameness

The most challenging case of the month was a first-time mother with a tiny calf. The newborn was reportedly lethargic and caretakers were worried she was unable to nurse appropriately. Several different groups came to help assess mother and calf. They determined that mom and calf were stuck in a cycle, because baby wasn’t nursing mom wasn’t producing the hormones required to produce milk, without the milk production baby couldn’t nurse even if she could reach, and so on.  Eventually, the solution was to give the mom domperidone to stimulate prolactin secretion for milk production, build a ramp for the calf to stand on in order to nurse, and to avoid undue stress on mom the mahout would bring them back to the ramp every couple of hours to ensure baby had the opportunity to nurse often. The calf was finally able to nurse and mahouts will keep a close eye on the two for the next weeks and months.

Tiny calf nursing during examination from the vet

Thank you to the CMU Veterinary Team for their outstanding commitment to Thailand’s elephants! And thank YOU to all who help support their work through AES!

Chiang Mai University Mobile Vet Clinic Update

June for the Chiang Mai University (CMU) Mobile Vet Team was another month of tending to some of Thailand’s most vulnerable elephants, calves. This month in addition to the adults with gastrointestinal issues, eye irritation, and tetanus vaccinations there were several cases concerning calves. One calf was unable to nurse from its mother. A naughty little calf presented with a steel rod stuck in her throat. And, unfortunately, EEHV claimed the life of yet another young calf from a camp already impacted by EEHV just a month earlier.

An owner called to consult about a mother and a calf living in Mae Tang with a case of Agalactia. (Agalactia is a condition of decreased or the absence of the production of breast milk). She said that the baby often cried, had decreased feces, and attempted to suckle for milk but he preferred only the left side mammary gland. His mother had quite a bit of shrinkage of the left mammary gland while the right was still enlarged. The owner was so worried about the lack of milk consumption she started milking the rightside mammary teat of the mother and was able to bottle-feed the baby. When the vets arrived, they examined mom and calf, recommended restricting the access of the baby to only nurse from the right side so he could nurse efficiently, and prescribed Domperidone to stimulate the secretion of the hormone prolactin to help with mom’s milk production.

Calf attempting to nurse on mom’s left side

Late in the afternoon on another day, the vets got an emergency call from the owner of a 16-month-old elephant. The owner said that there was a rod of steel obstructing the young elephant’s mouth. The team rushed to aid the calf, considering the very likely possibility of having to sedate the calf.  Thankfully, the baby could eat and drink throughout the morning until the afternoon she presented signs of vomiting but she wasn’t depressed. When a stick of sugarcane fell out of her mouth the mahout noticed a 5.5-inch-long steel rod stuck sideways in her mouth. Fortunately, the little calf didn’t swallow it. The mahout was able to remove the rod before the CMU team arrived and, once they were there, the vet did a thorough exam to make sure the calf had no internal injuries to the mouth and throat or bleeding.

Naughty calf with her junior caretaker and steel rod compared to a ballpoint pen

Unfortunately, EEHV reared its head again in Mae Wang when the CMU team was called to see a 4-year-old elephant when the mahout noticed that she was depressed. One young elephant from this camp got sick from an EEHV type 1 infection in April, was treated at the TECC hospital, and went back home in May. The vet performed a physical examination and found the calf already had petechial hemorrhage starting to present on her tongue, mild facial swelling, and a high fever, so the calf was immediately referred to the TECC hospital.

Calf receiving treatment for EEHV

Before the 3-hour trip from Mae Wang to the hospital in Lampang, the calf received antipyretics, Vitamin C, and antiviral drugs. A blood sample was also collected for hematology and EEHV diagnosis. When the truck arrived at the hospital the TECC vet team stood by to start the intensive treatment for her. The next day, results from CMU EEHV lab revealed that she was infected with both EEHV type 1 and 4. Sadly, despite all their efforts, she could not overcome the infection and passed away at 7 p.m.

Thank you to the CMU Veterinary Team for their outstanding commitment to Thailand’s elephants! And thank YOU to all who help support their work through AES!

Training Veterinary Assistants in Myanmar

To address the demand for veterinary assistants specializing in elephant healthcare nation-wide in Myanmar, our field partner the Myanma Timber Enterprise (MTE) conducted a comprehensive training program over several months.

With the support of AES, this training aimed to provide effective elephant healthcare. Throughout the training, the participants gained extensive practical knowledge and field skills from various sectors.

Professors from the University of Veterinary Science, Yezin, Nay Pyi Taw, and senior MTE Veterinarians taught courses about parasitology, microbiology, wildlife health management, and husbandry.

Thanks to this training there are now 19 trainees from 19 different areas across the country who can provide medical care and assist Veterinarians who treat over 1500 elephants in rural remote areas, including conflict zones, in Myanmar.

We are grateful for the efforts of the MTE Veterinarians and trainees who care for endangered elephants in Myanmar.

Chiang Mai University Mobile Vet Clinic May Update

Sad news this month from Thailand. In the afternoon of May 16, the chief mahout of camp in Mae Wang called our vet about a 3-year-old calf who got facial swelling.  A mahout had noticed that the young male calf presented mild swelling on his jaw but was still acting normally; eating well, sleeping, urinating, and defecating. The CMU team immediately asked the mahout to send pictures and some videos for evaluation. The team rushed to see the calf for a physical evaluation and referred the calf to the TECC hospital for emergency treatment. The calf was depressed. He had mild to moderate facial swelling, especially at both jaws and the area above the eyes. His tongue presented the purple spots consistent with hemorrhaging. He also had a fever and a mild watery diarrhea with quite a bad smell. Many EEHV symptoms were present. At the same time the TECC team was working hard to find suitable blood donors to immediately start a blood transfusion when the calf arrived.

Calf was lethargic upon the team’s arrival

The veterinarians gave an antiviral drug and vitamin C to the elephant. The calf also received non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce the fever from infection and the inflammatory process. At the hospital he got a platelet-rich plasma transfusion that night. The next day he got a second blood transfusion. The TECC team provided extreme treatment against EEHV. The EEHV test from CMU showed that the calf tested positive for type 1 and 4 co-infection. Unfortunately, he couldn't be saved. He passed away on day 3 of the intensive care.

Veterinarian draws blood to match for plasma donation

This case reminds us just how important our work is and how much fundraisers like Pizza for Pachyderms can help impact the care of elephants in Asia. This little calf’s treatment was funded in part through AES and donations from people like you. We are extremely grateful to the teams from the CMU mobile vet unit and thee TECC for their efforts to treat this calf and others affected by EEHV.

  Thank you to the CMU Veterinary Team for their outstanding commitment to Thailand’s elephants! And thank YOU to all who help support their work through AES!

CMU Mobile Vet Clinic April Update

April was a busy month for the CMU Mobile Vet team! In addition to routine health checks and blood draws there seemed to be many calls concerning wounds of all types this month along with some musculoskeletal concerns.
 
Early in the month the team checked in on two geriatric cows who had not been seen by vets in a couple years. At 50 and 60 years old, both cows were deemed to be in good health and body condition. They received parasite control, tetanus vaccines, and blood work all showed normal conditions. The vets also visited three other elephants for blood work a few days later. And later in the month, the vets visited a small, 5 member herd with a new owner who wanted to ensure the health of all including a 1.5 month old calf. All seemed happy and healthy and the team educated the owner and mahout on preventative care and EEHV. 

Geriatric cow getting a check up

Newest member of the small herd to get a check up

There were several wounds that seemed to be the result of minor interactions. One cow had a small wound with swelling under the eye after being hit inadvertently by her young son’s small tusk, which healed well a few days later. Another case presented an elephant who had knife wounds in the right shoulder area and right rear leg. The vets were able to flush necrotic tissue from the area, removed pus, dressed the wound with instructions on how to continue cleaning and dressing for the mahout. She also received antibiotic treatment and pain medication. On her second follow up they found the wound had dried and closed up. In one wound case, a young elephant at a festival managed to slice her tongue and lip on broken glass. The mahout was able to stem the bleeding and vets later cleaned the wound, administered pain medications and a tetanus shot upon assessing the wound condition. The little cow was still able to eat well and healed up nicely.  

Mom with a swollen eye

Elephant from festival getting tetanus vaccine

In several of the cases involving wound or musculoskeletal issues the vet team was able to use laser therapy to help with inflammation. One 30-year-old female presenting with stiffness in her forelimbs received laser therapy after the CMU team was able to utilize a thermo-scanning camera in order to detect the area of inflammation. In addition to the laser treatment, she also received painkillers and a prescribed hot oil massage. Laser treatment was also used in another case. This female had a history of nail rot and during a recent foot care session 2 new fistula wounds had occurred under the nail. The vets swabbed the wound for bacterial culture and then were able to apply laser therapy using the stick laser probe which was inserted into the holes in the nail.

Using a camera to find inflammation on a thermal scan

Inserting laser probe into nail to treat wound

Thank you to the CMU Veterinary Team for their outstanding commitment to Thailand’s elephants! And thank YOU to all who help support their work through AES!
 

Solar Fencing In India

Our friends at Wildlife Conservation Foundation in India recently sent us an update to their “Community Based Solar Fence to Mitigate Elephant-Human-Wildlife Conflict and Promote Co-existence” project. They have completed the first phase of 2 kilometers (2000 meters) of solar fencing. Solar panel installation, an alternate power source, energizer and testing has also been completed. Soon field staff will be training and passing off fence operations to selected beneficiary families and there may be an additional kilometer of fence that could be built soon!

The New Worry: Metabolic Bone Disease

Living in the wilds of Asia comes with its own risks for calves, there’s the illness we’ve already talked about (EEHV), the risk of injury and infection, the risk of snares and poaching, and there’s a risk of developing a metabolic bone disease from malnutrition. Precious little is known about the composition of an elephant mother’s milk. What we’re finding, though, is that the formulas we use to help calves survive is not meeting all the needs of young calves who weren’t weaned before separation from their mom.

Unfortunately, even if an orphaned calf is rescued and cared for, they’re still not out of the woods. As far as we know, more than half of the rescued orphaned elephants tend to encounter metabolic bone disease as they grow up. This creates immense challenges for those in range countries struggling to help elephants outrun extinction. This complicated condition makes it far more likely a calf will die early due to fatal injuries from typically harmless events or an eventuality of their own bones not being able to support the weight of their bodies as they grow. 

Calf being treated for bone misalignment

Mahouts, owners, veterinarians are banding together to care for these calves in a multitude of ways. Thanks to your contributions teams like the veterinarians with the CMU Mobile Vet Clinic are able to visit calves in need of help. They strive to provide the best care possible for their littlest patients while working hard to find solutions. In March, several attendees participated in a workshop dedicated to learning more about and finding a solution to the issues with current elephant milk replacers.

With your help, we can continue to fight for the survival of even the smallest elephants with quality veterinary care and the hope that the tools they have are best suited to help them grow big and strong.

Attendees of Elephant’s Milk Workshop learning formulas

Orphaned Elephant Calves Update

In 2022, we told you about a calf in Myanmar, born to a mother that was unable to produce milk. Thankfully, another mother elephant had just given birth the month prior and she allowed the new calf to nurse from her along with her own calf. Nursing two calves at once is a feat and a request for assistance was made by the staff at Life in Oozie Village Ecohut (LOVE) to help provide supplemental food for both babies and the nursing mother. AES was quickly able to respond to the request and send the necessary funds to provide milk and other fodder.

For over a year, your contributions were critical to the survival of these two calves (Moe Moe & Phyo Phyo) and the mother caring for them. At the same time, there was another calf in another part of Myanmar that would need help.

On May 14, 2023, there was a strong cyclone, named Mocha, in western Myanmar. A little orphan calf was found that day and thus named after the cyclone. The Elephant Emergency Response Units (EERU) of Aveyrwady Division, where wild elephants reside, found the body of a female elephant, estimated at 25-30 years old, apparently killed by a poison dart. This tiny calf, less than one month old, was found near the female's body and was initially cared for by the EERU team in this area.

Ten days later she was well enough to travel. The EERU Team came to Yangon for a workshop funded by Asian Elephant Support and brought along Mocha.  The little girl made the 5-hour trip in good condition under the EERU team's care. She is now being cared for at that same elephant camp in Yangon, Life in Oozie Village Ecohut (LOVE).

Now, little Mocha is a year old. She is continuing to thrive, but she needs your help more than ever. As the surrounding area continues to experience hardship, Mocha and the other calves cared for at LOVE still need supplemental formula and fodder to keep them growing strong and thriving. We are proud to support the EERU Teams, veterinarians, and other field staff in Myanmar who always have the care and future of Asian elephants as their first priority. 

Mochda today is strong and thriving