Thanks to your support, EAI is nearing the completion of its year-long project to free 63 working elephants from chains. Elephants who have spent decades shackled by chains are now free to roam … [Read more...]
Blending of Two Worlds
Haatha, hati, hatti, hathi, are all words referring to the Asian elephant. Kipling, in his infamous Jungle Book, gave life to his supporting character, naming him Colonel Hathi. There is something … [Read more...]
Capture is an ill-conceived solution to human-elephant conflict
The competition between humans and elephants for space and resources has reached an all-time high in India. The problem stems from both species’ dependence on forest resources for … [Read more...]
ke garne…what to do?
I have held off writing this blog for weeks hoping that my experience was anecdotal. I also wondered if sharing my experience and expressing my concern could be beneficial or would simply broaden the … [Read more...]
Bahabur’s surgery
Oct 17th [Warning: This post includes graphic photos.] My first morning in Assam, I awoke to learn there was an elephant emergency. Thirty-five-year-old, Bahabur, a skilled koonki … [Read more...]
Update on Nepal pilot project
Starting on May 8th, 2012, I put everything on hold while I focused exclusively on Sweetie Kali’s new chain-free corral. The bandh (country-wide strike) caused a bit of delay in the beginning, forcing … [Read more...]
March update on India Care Center Project
From my lake-front office, Bannerghatta, India The two months since my arrival in India have been filled -- with meetings, brainstorming sessions, hiking through cinder-dry forests and continual … [Read more...]
progress report of sorts
Each day living at the proposed care center property brings more insight and, in some cases, more unanswered questions. The temperature has heated up, causing afternoon activities to slow down. … [Read more...]
blessing the land
I’ve seen footprints and elephant boluses and heard stories about the herds of wild elephants that frequent the area, but last night at 10:35pm I heard proof -- my first wild elephant trumpet. It … [Read more...]
thinking about the big picture
Things are progressing well with the care center -- lots of discussion, meetings and scouting the land. But this time around the process is quite different from when my Tennessee sanctuary dream was … [Read more...]
Scouting Around
While scouting the land today I found elephant boluses (dung) scattered along a granite hilltop on the care center property. The granite is spectacular, with sheered layers and huge natural … [Read more...]
tribesmen and internet signals
I woke at six--just as the morning light was creeping over the granite hilltop—feeling refreshed and happy as a clam! I went to sleep under a bed of stars and woke to birds singing and a fabulous … [Read more...]