The Fight for Survival: Elephants

and it's a delicate little wiggle

Laos was called the "The Land of a million elephants", currently there are less than 900 alive: 450 domestic and 400 wild.  
Elephants have historically been used as "work animals" (and war animals).  In Asia they have been used in the logging industry.  Worked to death hoisting the logs (the precious mahogony etc).  In this industry, one elephant can feed  many families, not just the mahout.  Worked so hard they do not have the energy to mate, nor does the mahout want the females pregnant, as this disallows the elephant to work. In addition it costs the mahout  a $500 fee for the male to impregnate her.  Costly indeed, where the average yearly salary in $1200.  
An  elephant needs 23 months gestation and then an additional 2 years to wean her calf.  A calf is born without an immune system therefore the need for colostrum is imperative.  A calf needs their mother's milk.
The larger cost here is to Laos.  And to the gentle giant, the elephant.  There are 2 births for every 10 deaths.  Do the numbers.  If this is not addressed, Laotian Asian elephants will be eradicated very very soon.

ElefantAsia (www.elefantasia.org) has partnered with Elephant Conservation Center in Sayaboury, Laos to address this sad issue.  Going to the ECC is anything But sad.  

Mother and baby drinking some of the 150 litres of water they drink daily

part of the Baby Bonus program, the mother and baby get all the care and time they need and the mahout and his family receive a salary as well as housing and tools to farm during this time

For me it was transformative to be with these animals.
Their personalities, intelligence, playfulness and extreme
gentleness was always apparent.  These elephants are treated well. I was elated to be in their presence as well as be in the remote beauty of the ECC in Sayboury.  

this is  the view from my cabin, it was hot during the day and cooled down nicely in the night.

www.elephantconcervationcenter.org is a French NGO.  As a tourist you have several options to visit and learn /and volunteer.  The learning part is essential.  The center is open just 2 years and houses a hospital with a  veterinarian, nursery and hundreds of acres jungle.  (an elephant eats 80% of the time therefore foraging in the jungle is what they require for sustenance).  All medical care for all elephants is free,but the vet must often travel far to examine and diagnose.  Special permission is needed for this from the government.  The Center is attempting to build an operating room; the cost is near $30,000.

 There are 4 domesticated elephants that live there; retired from the exploitive logging industry and  2 sets of mothers + calves.  The 4 are owned by the center, the mothers + calves are owned by their mahouts and will probably return to logging after the nursing.  (the other option for a mahout and family to earn a living is tourism) 

The majesty of riding an elephant (bareback),feeling their gait, their slow and evenness, truly is a Delicate experience. The way in which they kneel to allow you to climb on them was something to behold. 

what delight! riding Mae Boun Nam a sweet female of  17

Precise and deliberate, they gently get their girth down and then up with so much grace. (something i know about.... minus the grace part)
I loved it!




But, even more than riding them, i loved being near them.
Feeding them, walking with them in the forest, touching them, observing them, seeing their personalities and of course Listening to the panoply of extraordinary sounds
of elephant language was the most Natural of experiences.  And we LOVE the water.

the two young girls, Mae Boun Nam and Mae Kham Ohn  are in love with one another!
They cavort endlessly and Refuse to come out of the water.

Gentle Man Phu Thongkoon is nearing 40, but is inexperienced with the ladies..... and it's hard to break up the lovefest between Mae Boun Nam + Mae Kham Ohn.  Mae Kham Ohn is One Alpha Female!

The Center hopes that the male  Phu Thongkoon will impregnate one of the younger two females; but he has not been interested.  The other elephant is 60 year Grandmere, Mae Dock who at this point is to old to procreate.  She was used in the logging industry and now is living her life at the ECC.  Mae Dok is a very tall gentle giant who never gave birth.

Ariel on Mae Kham Ohn (two alphas enjoying each other)

mahout climbing on; i placed my foot on the upraised front knee and used an ear to hoist myself up.

The ears flap in happiness and to cool them down.  As you ride them..... you feel their ears and hear the lovely sound.

mahout training baby boy elephant/ to receive bananas when the mahout wants to give them.....not just when baby WANTS them..... sound familiar?

Mama receiving bananas (after they bathe, they immediately put dust on themselves to protect from sun as well as insects)

This work is so important.  During our stay (3 days,2 nights- the center was totally reserved therefore we could not do the 6 days we originally had hoped for),we learned about the rhythm of their days how to command them and most of all how to appreciate them.


I want to return next year and make a commitment to help create organic gardens to feed the staff +volunteers. We've got seaweed/leaves, grasses, food scraps and a whole lot of elephant poop to create compost and  build up the dusty dry soil.

travelin' woman