THAI ELEPHANT CONSERVATION

[Guest guest]

http://www.bangkokpost.com/en/Outlook/21Sep2005_out02.php

On conservation and elephants

 

With the future status of the Dong Payayen/Khao Yai forest complex in doubt, how

are we to protect our elephants?

 

 

The wild elephant research and rescue fund films elephants in their natural

habitat. — Photos courtesy of WERF

Thailand's forests are among the most biologically diverse on earth, and such

biodiversity is the origin of many of our foods and medicines. In fact, the

interaction between flora and fauna, and the conservation of this interaction,

is of the utmost importance for the social well-being of Thailand.

 

So believes senator Kraisak Choonhavan, renowned throughout Thailand as the

often candid senator for foreign affairs, and a well-known advocate of

conservation and the protection of wildlife.

 

Senator Kraisak does not only promote environmental causes through his formal

work, he is also the chairman of a number of environmental and community

organisations including the wild elephant research and rescue fund (Werf), the

General Chatichai Choonhavan Foundation and WildAid.

 

Large animals that require considerable space, food and water, like elephants,

are used by scientists as indicators of the overall health of the forest.

Despite the elephant being Thailand's national emblem, senator Kraisak points

out that surprisingly little is known about these animals in the wild.

 

 

Kraisak Choonhavan, senator and conservationist.

" In Thailand, the elephant has traditionally been revered as a regal animal used

by the aristocracy in war and as a beast of burden. So in Thai culture a good

elephant is a tame elephant _ one that can be touched, trained and used. But we

have never studied them in their place of origin _ the forest. We know so little

about wild elephants. We cannot even answer basic questions like how many

elephants are there in Thailand's national parks and wildlife sanctuaries? The

estimates vary between 1,000 and 2,000, but the huge difference between these

numbers illustrates how poor the estimate is. We don't know whether increased

tourism in national parks is affecting them or even how many are poached or

captured for domestic use. The killing of elephants for tusks and meat does

still occur, though it is on the decline. However, it is likely that numbers of

wild elephants are decreasing.

 

" We have little knowledge or understanding of the requirements of wild elephants

or if the forests they live in provide sufficient food and water for them. Are

they breeding successfully in all of the places that they are found? Does

inbreeding occur in any of the smaller populations that are isolated in island

forests? What effects would inbreeding have on long-term survival of the

elephants? "

 

This lack of knowledge of Thailand's beloved elephant led senator Kraisak to

support the first organisation in Thailand set up solely for the purpose of

researching and conserving wild elephants: Werf.

 

Werf has three main aims: The conservation of wild elephants through

interdisciplinary research and use of traditional local knowledge; enabling

public participation in elephant conservation through education, raising

awareness and encouraging positive action; and working with others from Thailand

and around the world for the benefit of wild elephants.

 

Werf has been studying the elephants in Khao Yai National Park, focusing

primarily on observing the social interactions and behaviour of the elephants

that can be seen along the roads in Khao Yai. In addition to making scientific

records of the elephants, the research team has also filmed the elephants to

enable others to have the chance to see Thailand's wild elephants in the forest

for themselves, from the comfort of their living room.

 

" Now the Thai public has an opportunity to see for themselves exactly what Khao

Yai's elephants get up to. Twice a week, with the generous sponsorship of Thai

Beverages, iTV is running a short spot on the elephants during its early evening

news and for the first time, Thai people can see and learn about Thailand's wild

elephants as a result of research carried out in Thailand, by Thais. We can see

elephants behaving naturally _ feeding, resting, drinking, playing, fighting,

courting, mating and raising their young. These pictures are not easy to acquire

_ research and good photography take great patience and a lot of time. First the

researchers need to habituate the elephants, get them used to the researchers

and their vehicles, lights and noises in a way that does not upset or disturb

the elephants. The researchers' aim is to be able to observe the elephants

behaving as elephants and totally ignoring their human spectators. We hope that

in addition to raising people's awareness of the wild elephants, these short TV

spots will increase interest in wildlife research amongst Thais. "

 

He would also like to change the public's disturbing behaviour towards wildlife,

such as shouting and screaming when animals are spotted in the wild.

 

The fund also wants to discover why elephants leave the forest and feed on

farmland, damaging crops and sometimes injuring people. Are their needs being

met in the forest? Is there sufficient food? Is water available at all times?

How has the forest, their natural habitat, changed over time?

 

Werf collaborates with many organisations, both locally and internationally,

including park officials, the Wildlife Fund Thailand, WildAid and the

Smithsonian Institution, which has provided research advice and funding.

 

" Last October, at the Cites Conference in Bangkok, Thailand announced that it

would become part of the Cites monitoring of the illegal killing of elephants

[Mike] programme, the first stage of which is carrying out scientific research

into the number of elephants in key protected areas. Though Khao Yai is not one

of these key areas in the first phase of research, it is listed on the second

phase. Werf is liaising with Mike to ensure that our research is to their

internationally agreed standards and so that our estimate of elephants in Khao

Yai can be used by Mike and the Thai government as an accurate baseline for

future monitoring. "

 

Another area where wildlife research has a role to play is assessing the impact

of big projects on wildlife and forests. Khao Yai has just been recognised as a

world heritage site, as part of the Dong Payayen/Khao Yai forest complex,

specifically for its biodiversity and the large number of endangered animals

that live within the Complex.

 

Ironically, shortly after receiving this status, the government proposed the

construction of two large dams within the complex and a major road that may run

through part of it. These developments would seriously affect the integrity of

this new world heritage site and the senator feels that if these developments go

ahead, Unesco and the world heritage committee would quite rightly strip the

DPKY forest complex of its world heritage site status. Such an event would be a

national embarrassment in the face of the world community.

 

However, senator Kraisak also believes that the protection of Thailand's

national forests needs a sustained effort from all parties, including local

villagers, farmers, the tourist industry and developers who encroach into

protected areas.

 

" Conservation in Thailand needs to be brought up to world standards. This means

that those who use nature in any way, be it for making a living, for tourism or

for research and conservation, need to collaborate closely with each other on a

regular basis. This is the only way that people can live with wildlife and the

forest. "