Elephants Helping Elephants in Sumatra (CRU)

CRU patrolling Way Kambas boundaries

We are pleased to announce our first funding endeavor, the Conservation Response Unit (CRU) in Way Kambas National Park, Sumatra. The Conservation Response Unit integrates wild and captive elephants in a synergetic elephant conservation strategy. This program is improving the care of captive elephants and their mahouts (elephant caregivers) and is helping the wild elephant population via forest patrols, census gathering, and human-elephant conflict mitigation efforts. The continuation of these activities is important for sustainable implementation of wild and captive elephant conservation and welfare needs in Way Kambas National Park, Sumatra. This program is fully operational, but is in need of funds to continue their operations and improve medical care.

History, Geography & Partners:

The Veterinary Society for Sumatran Wildlife Conservation (Vesswic) is a registered non-profit organization founded in 2003 by a group of Sumatran veterinarians with a special interest in wildlife medicine and conservation. To legally conduct its activities, Vesswic has signed a MoU (memorandum of understanding) with the national Agency for Forest Protection and Nature Conservation (PHKA), which provides Vesswic the legal authority on behalf of the Government of Indonesia to implement its programs and activities in Sumatra.

Home destroyed by wild elephants in Way Kamabas

This project operates in and around the Way Kambas National Park on the southeastern coast of the Lampung province. Way Kambas National Park is home to about 10% of the remaining 2,000 - 2,500 wild Sumatran elephants. The Way Kambas Elephant Conservation Center (ECC) is currently home to 62 captive elephants. The ECC was established in 1985 with the goal of reducing human-elephant conflict (HEC). Wild elephants were captured from areas of HEC between 1985 and 2000, but the capture program ended in 2000 because the government authorities recognized that the capture strategy did not solve the HEC problem. Unfortunately, the government funds allocated for ECC maintenance and captive elephant care was insufficient and there was no clear strategy for managing these captive elephants. The result was poor management, lack of food and medical attention for the elephants, insufficient staff qualification and training, lack of activity and socialization of the elephants, and ultimately poor condition and sickness in many elephants.

CRU mahouts and their charges

In 2006, at the request of the Way Kambas National Park, the Veterinary Society for Sumatran Wildlife Conservation (Vesswic), through its Elephant Health Care Program (EHCP) began providing technical and financial assistance to the Way Kambas ECC to improve the health and management of their captive elephants. The program successfully utilizes captive elephants for HEC mitigation and forest patrols. The Conservation Response Unit (CRU) program integrates wild and captive elephants as the forest patrols made by the captive elephants help to protect their wild counterparts. In addition, the captive elephants benefit from interactions with their mahout and the exercise and stimulation of outings into the forest where there is an opportunity to feed on a wide variety of natural food plants. This program also utilizes the mahouts and captive elephants to address HEC mitigation and education. Finally, the mahouts have the opportunity to develop their elephant care skills, to become educated and engaged conservation workers, and to serve their people in resolving conflict.

CRU elephants herding wild elephants out of area of HEC

Since the Way Kambas Conservation Response Unit (CRU) began operating, it has significantly contributed to the reduction of HEC and habitat encroachment. It has improved the health of the captive elephants taking part in this program, and has built the knowledge and skill of the mahouts involved. Therefore, the continuation of these activities is important for both the wild and captive elephants of Way Kambas National Park. External funding is required as Way Kambas National Park and its Elephant Conservation Center are not able to provide sufficient resources to ensure the continuation of this important and successful program.

Asian Elephant Support is pleased to partner with Vesswic, the Way Kambas National Park, and the Elephant Managers Association (EMA) in this undertaking. Our initial $4,500 donation will help keep the Conservation Response Unit in the field for a few more months. This is an exceptionally well run effort making positive progress for both wild elephant conservation and improved care of captive elephants.

Veterinarian Support:

Vets and mahouts take body measurements

In 2010 AES purchased two portable scales for Vesswic's use in caring for elephants in the Way Kambas ECC and other camps in Sumatra. Knowing the weight of an elephant is vital for medicating, establishing proper diets, following the progression of pregnancies, and as an alert to possible illness.

While weight can be estimated via formulas based usually on shoulder height and chest girth, none are precise across all age groups. Weight estimation inaccuracies are problematic when medications need to be prescribed and this method is time consuming.

A portable scale allows elephants to step up on a base, stand still for just a few seconds then walk off. Such a scale provides accuracy and efficiency for safe and effective dosing, and we are thrilled to provide this tool to the CRU program.

The scales were delivered in April of 2011 and we are proud to report that they were put to use immediately.

Elephant walks onto portable scale

The first place the scales were used was the ECC in Tangkahan. The mahouts fashioned a platform and elephants were walked calmly onto the platform. The elephants with calves were a bit more challenging as babies wanted to stay under mom so it took some coaxing to get them off the platform. Calves will also be weighed to monitor development.

We at AES wish to extend a very sincere Thank You to each donor who has voted their support with a financial gift. We value that confidence and will always do our best for the animals we all care for so deeply. Do know that even quite modest donations add up and, together, we can truly make a difference!

Please contact us to put your name on our email list for news as we are able to do more exciting and constructive Asian elephant conservation work.

Please read a news article about Christopher Stremme, DVM, project manager for the Elephant Health Care Program (EHCP) of the Veterinary Society for Sumatran Wildlife Conservation (Vesswic).

Thank you for your Support!

ASIAN ELEPHANT SUPPORT

Photos from Vesswic archive, provided by Christopher Stremme, DVM.