Year 2010 in Review

CRU elephants chase wild elephants out of area of conflict.

2010 has been the 'launch' year of our expanded horizons. We began the year providing funding to Vesswic, a nonprofit wildlife veterinarian organization, in order to maintain elephant patrols in Sumatra until more significant, longer term funding was in place. These patrols not only help protect wild Sumatran elephants, but they also help rhinos, orangutans, tigers, and other endangered species. At the same time, elephants participating in the patrols enjoy the delight of literally eating their way through the jungle. These excursions offer exercise and a varied diet to the jumbos who also visit villages to help residents see and learn about elephants in a light other than as the dangerous crop raider.

Setting up the portable scale

We have also ordered two portable scales for the veterinarian work in Sumatra with delivery in the spring of 2011. Knowing the weight of an elephant is vital for medicating, establishing proper diets, and as an alert to possible illness.

We helped fund a veterinarian from northern India to attend a career building conference.

We sent emergency flood relief funds to the Royal Kraal in Ayutthaya, Thailand (http://www.elephantstay.com/) and encouraged our donors and friends to also help.

Herd in degraded and fragmented habitat in summer

We facilitated the submission of two grant requests to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service Asian Elephant Conservation Fund, one studying emerging diseases in wild Asian elephants in southern India and the other to support the ongoing veterinary training in elephant health care and conservation. We are delighted that both submissions have been funded.

We believe that all of our efforts with your support will make a real difference for this magnificent 'other nation' with whom we share....and must make sure we always share....this planet.

Goals for 2011

We are discussing other very worthwhile projects for the coming year. We feel our first year set the tone for the quality of work in which we want to be involved. The economy, as well as our change in focus from support of a single park  to more conservation-based projects made 2010 a challenging year in fundraising, and once more we wish to thank those who believed in our Mission with their financial support. Hopefully, all worthwhile nonprofit organizations will find resurgence in backing in 2011.

Self-Assessment

We feel our activities in 2010 confirm our belief that we can fill a niche in the Asian elephant community to assist both wild and captive populations. We believe in the importance of collaboration and teamwork between all interested parties and look forward to helping the Asian elephant make its long and difficult trek into the next century.