Elefantasia

ElefantAsia is a nonprofit organisation protecting the Asian elephant, Elephas maximus. It operates in Laos, which it estimates to have only 1500 Asian elephants remaining,[1] 560 of these domesticated and working with their mahouts.

ElefantAsia
FoundedSeptember 2001
Paris, France
FounderSebastien Duffillot
Gilles Maurer
TypeNon-profit Organisation
FocusAsian elephant conservation
Location
Area served
Xaignabouli Province
Laos
MethodVeterinary Care, Breeding Programs, Environmental Education, Ecotourism
Key people
Sebastien Duffillot
Gilles Maurer
Revenue
$150,000USD/year
Volunteers
Approx. 10
Websitewww.elefantasia.org

Activities

The group suggests that information collation, surveying and national census have proved ineffective at providing accurate data on wild and domestic elephant populations,[2] and focusses its efforts in the areas of veterinary, educational and economical support.[3] ElefantAsia has possessed a veterinary care unit and carries out public awareness campaigns and environmental education within Laos.

Projects in Laos

The Elephant Festival

In cooperation with the National Tourism Authority, ElefantAsia organised the Elephant Festival each year since 2007. The first Elephant Festival was held in the Xaignabouli Province and attracted more than 10,000 people. In 2008 over 50,000 people attended.[4]

Mobile Veterinary Unit

ElefantAsia created the Mobile Veterinary Unit to provide ‘house calls’ to domesticated elephants working in remote areas. Operating in the Xaignabouli province of Laos, the Mobile Veterinary Unit is especially designed to dispense medical care to domesticated elephants.[5] ElefantAsia’s veterinary team visits logging sites, tourist camps and villages where elephants are employed to ensure they are receiving adequate healthcare. This is necessary as vaccinations are not available, medical treatment is rare and medication dosages are hardly ever adhered to.[6]

Breeding program
The Mobile Vet Unit working in Laos

Today in Laos the domesticated elephant population only has 2 births for every 10 deaths.[7]

Domesticated elephants

Laos is home to an approximate 560 domesticated Asian elephants. Most are engaged in timber harvesting operations and contribute to the destruction of wild elephant habitat.[8]

References
  1. Norachack, B 2002, 'The care and management of domesticated Asian elephants in Lao PDR', in Baker I & Kashio, M (eds), Giants On Our Hands: Proceedings of the International Workshop on the domesticated Asian elephant, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok, pp 172-180.
  2. Norachack, B 2002, 'The care and management of domesticated Asian elephants in Lao PDR', in Baker I & Kashio, M (eds), Giants On Our Hands: Proceedings of the International Workshop on the domesticated Asian elephant,FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok, pp 172-180.
  3. ElefantAsia 2008, Fields of Action, 22 April 2008, http://www.elefantasia.org/spip.php?article52&lang=en Archived 29 September 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  4. Lao National Tourism Authority, 2008, Vientiane, Lao PDR
  5. Elefantasia, 2008, Mobile Veterinary Unit, http://www.elefantasia.org/spip.php?article9&lang=en Archived 30 October 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  6. Norachack, B 2002, 'The care and management of domesticated Asian elephants in Lao PDR', in Baker I & Kashio, M (eds), Giants On Our Hands: Proceedings of the International Workshop on the domesticated Asian elephant,FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok, pp 172-180.
  7. Maurer, G 2008, Breeding, 20 April 2008,http://www.elefantasia.org/spip.php?article50&lang=en Archived 27 March 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  8. Norachack, B 2002, 'The care and management of domesticated Asian elephants in Lao PDR', in Baker I & Kashio, M (eds), Giants On Our Hands: Proceedings of the International Workshop on the domesticated Asian elephant,FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok, pp 172-180.
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