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Elephant
Trekking in Phuket
 In
former times wild elephants roamed Phuket Island but as tin mining and
rubber plantations changed the natural environment elephants slowly disappeared.
As recently as three years ago the only elephants to be found on Phuket
were at tourist attractions like the 'Thai Village' or the 'Crocodile
Farm'. In late 1994, 'Siam Safari Nature Tours' pioneered the concept
offering visitors to the island an opportunity to ride on an elephant
on their property in the hills overlooking Chalong Bay. Regulated and
controlled properly 'elephant trekking' can offer a much-needed lift to
the tourism industry, and generate the funds to assure the survival of
thousands of elephants in a dignified manner. Unfortunately, the opposite
is equally possible in the current uncontrolled rush to 'cash in' on this
latest business opportunity. As the number of new elephant camps increase
so do the reports of overworked and abused elephants. Informed visitors
who demand humane treatment for the elephants may be the last best chance
to save many of these majestic creatures.
The unpleasant reality is the natural habitat of the Asian
Elephant has diminished to the point that only an estimated
2,000 survive in the wild. A number not generally believed
large enough to maintain the essential genetic-diversity to
ensure the survival of the species in the wild. Traditionally
domesticated elephants were used as transport, and in the
logging industry moving cut timber. All logging was officially
banned in Thailand in 1989. Elephants that had been employed
to move logs in the forest became unemployed, that is why
they can now be seen in Bangkok and tourist areas literally
'begging' for a living. It costs approximately US$500 per
month to feed and care for an elephant in captivity. In the
modern world elephants have an almost human-like problem of
needing to be gainfully employed in order to survive. With
the survival of these majestic and highly intelligent creatures
increasingly in doubt. It is more important than ever for
visitors to understand they have the power to make a positive
difference. Informed visitors to Thailand can support the
humane treatment of these gracious beasts by carefully selecting
the elephant camp they visit. As with any high growth industry
'elephant trekking' is subject to abuse.
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Avoid elephant operations that allow
the Mahouts (elephant keeper) to use the dreaded metal
hook to control the animal. This device is cruel and unnecessary
for a well trained and happy elephant, but are legal in
Thailand and are frequently used.
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The dawn to dusk regime of many elephant
camps is unhealthy for the animals. Adult elephants need
to graze for 8 to 10 hours a day. Elephants are forest
animals and do not like being in the direct sunlight.
Avoid camps that have the animals staked outside in the
sun all day.
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Elephants are nervous around automobiles,
and loud noises, and they do not eat properly when in
this type of environment. Many of the roadside elephant
camps are offering little more than a 'photo opportunity'
of you while riding atop an elephant, before it plods
slowly down a well worn path for your ten minute elephant
trek. If it looks like a fly-by-night operation it probably
is one. Avoid the elephant camps that appear to have just
opened yesterday.
Please!
Never go near an elephant without its mahout (handler) not
all of the elephants are accustomed to being around unfamiliar
people so using caution is advisable.
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 Elephants
are the largest living land mammals on Earth. Thai history is rich in
elephant lore and this venerable beast and plays a major role in Thai
culture. Ancient Siam (Thailand) was constantly at war and in warfare
of that day elephants had a tactical importance similar to that of tanks
today. As a beast of burden, the elephant is not a great success,
for the average load it can carry is no more than about 600 pounds (270kg),
though it is claimed that the Japanese, during World War II, loaded four
tons of ammunition on individual animals. After a day's work an elephant
needs to be released into the forest and allowed feed itself for much
of the night to ingest the necessary 350-Kg of vegetation required for
an adult. It is when foraging for the more nutritious food that can only
be found in forested areas that elephants often clash with local villagers
and farmers. For example, elephants are fond of pineapple and are apparently
delighted to find them planted in neat rows, irritated farmers have been
known to poison or shoot the elephants for damaging fences and crops.
It is estimated that at least several thousand
elephants are now being used by illegal logging operations
that have sprung up since Thailand banned legal logging a
decade ago. Today, many unscrupulous operators drug the elephants
to make them work harder. No law protects these majestic beasts
from cruelty at the hands of their owners despite the fact
that Thailand's former national symbol is now an endangered
species. Many underfed elephants addicted to amphetamines
die or suffer horribly as a result of cruelty and ignorance.
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 Elephants
have been in the news a lot lately, and none of it has been good: elephants
being poisoned for raiding pineapple farms, elephants being fed amphetamines
to make them work harder, rogue elephants being shot dead; an elephant
killed an Australian tourist.
The following article appeared in the Bangkok
Post on December 19,1997 and is unfortunately very common.
An autopsy on a bull elephant that died of
shock in Hang Chat district has revealed that it died of overwork
and maltreatment.
Preecha Puangkham, a veterinarian from the Elephant
Hospital, said that the elephant which died in a rice field in Ban
Na Bua, died of shock because it was worked too hard. The animal
also suffered from malnutrition, lack of rest and a changing climate.
According to the autopsy, Plai Ek, the 20-year-old
bull elephant, suffered internal bleeding in its major organs
including the heart, brain, liver and abdomen.
"From my experience, I can say that
it might have died of shock as its heart was found to have
much fat. This showed that it had earlier worked too hard.
Congestion of the blood in important organs caused Plai Ek
to have convulsions," Mr Preecha said.
On the hypothesis made by villagers that the elephant
was poisoned, he said the hospital had to wait for the results of
an autopsy from the Northern Veterinary Research and Diagnostic
Centre before making a final conclusion, adding it is expected the
details will be made public on Monday.
He also voiced concern that more than 30
elephants, used for illegal logging in the same area where
Plai Ek lived, might be at risk.
According to Mr Preecha, the Elephant Hospital
will keep a close watch on more than 50 sick elephants under
its care to prevent them from infection until it is certain
that Plai Ek did not die of a communicable disease.
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SIAM SAFARI
NATURE TOURS CO.,LTD.
17/2 Soi Yod Sane, Moo 10, Chalong, Phuket, 83130 Thailand
Tel: 280 116
Fax: 280 107
International Fax:+66 76 280 107,
The first elephant treks on Phuket were along
jungle trails on their property in the hills above Ao Chalong.
Also a strong advocate in practicing Eco-Tourism 'Siam Safari
has won numerous awards from the travel industry and from
the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
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