Elephant Aid International

Tag: wild elephants

  • Help Us Keep Wild Elephants Wild and Captive Elephants Safe!

    Help Us Keep Wild Elephants Wild and Captive Elephants Safe!

    Thanks to your support, EAI is nearing the completion of its year-long project to free 63 working elephants from chains.

    2 eles chain free

    Elephants who have spent decades shackled by chains are now free to roam spacious mini-sanctuaries for the first time in their lives.

    But now we need your help with an unexpected expense: an elephant-proof perimeter fence to keep wild elephants wild and captive elephants safe.

    Last hattisar: Prototype for a healthy captive elephant environment

    dscn0321_medFor five weeks, EAI and its tireless volunteers have toiled in sweltering temperatures erecting solar powered corral fencing so that captive-held anti-poaching patrol elephants at one of the government’s 15 hattisars (elephant stables), in Khorsor, Nepal, can be released from their chains forever.

    This hattisar is home to 18 elephants: six females with suckling calves; an older female who acts as auntie, babysitter and wet nurse; a young pregnant female; two adolescents; and two young males who no longer live with their mothers.

    This, the last hattisar in EAI’s Chain Free Means Pain Free project, has the potential to be a prototype for a healthy captive elephant environment and transform elephant management in Nepal.

    But an unlikely culprit threatens the success of the project. His name? Sano Jungli Hatti — small wild elephant

    jungli hatti

    Every night for the past month, sano jungli hatti has visited the hattisar, damaged the newly constructed section of corral fencing and then disappeared into the breaking dawn.

    This wild elephant was dubbed sano jungli hatti because he is less than six feet tall and under 10 years of age. First seen traveling alone more than two years ago, the separation from his wild biological family was many years premature.

    Although the circumstances surrounding his separation remain a mystery, sano jungli hatti’s actions clearly demonstrate that he has adopted the resident elephants in Khorsor as his family.

    It’s not clear if this young elephant is motivated by his desire to procreate or be mothered, but he is willing to disregard the pain of plowing through six strands of solar powered fencing to get to his adopted family.

    Until now, the fence kept out even the most dominant mature wild bulls.

    But this young sano jungli hatti’s destructiveness has created a crisis.

    repairing corral

    Each time sano jungli hatti breaks through the fence, it is repaired.

    It’s not a problem to repair the fence one or two times. But if the fence needs repairing day after day, it is not sustainable.

    If sano jungli hatti continues to break the fence, the resident elephants will be put back on chains.

    We simply cannot allow this to happen.

    Solution: A perimeter fence

    Capturing or relocating jungli hatti is not a viable option.

    Neither is returning all 18 captive-held elephants to chains.

    The answer?

    Build a perimeter fence around the entire 15-acre chain free project to keep wild elephants out and the eighteen resident elephants chain-free.

    The six-foot-high elephant-proof perimeter fence will cover 4,000 running feet. It is estimated to cost $1 per foot, a total of $4,000.

    To ensure the success of our chain free project — to keep sano jungli hatti free and the captive-held elephants chain-free — we must raise the funds for the perimeter fence immediately.

  • Blending of Two Worlds

    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 pure and powerful about the Colonel as the representative of an entire species. He becomes more than himself: he is the conduit to the world of elephants, their ancient culture and lives.

    I am continually amazed by the impact elephants have on people. Even those who have never been in the presence of an elephant can become obsessed with protecting them. It is as if elephants can reach into your soul and light a spark that defies reason. Their culture is complex, their nature compassionate and resilience indefinable.

    A wild bull joins Sunder and friends

    Recently I experienced a scene that touched me deeply. I was at the Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP) in India to inspect the chain free-enclosure I’d designed for Sunder and his new family.

    The staff excitedly told me that a young wild elephant had entered the enclosure 15 days prior and remained inside. I found this disconcerting. I imagined the young bull to be frightened and holed up in the back reaches of the 122 acres, hiding from the scary humans who surrounded the entrance and exit of the enclosure.

    As I walked the fence line inspecting the corral, there were signs of another inspection. The young bull had made his rounds, leaving footprints and signs of dusting and foraging along the fence line on the inside, but no damage. I had no doubt that he was looking for a way out.

    Yet, although the fence was newly completed and would not be operational until after my inspection, this jungle, pronounced junglee (wild) hatti (elephant) did not breach it. The solar power energizer had not yet been turned on, the fence wasn’t yet powered, so the bull would have felt no discomfort if he pushed through it to escape. I was curious why he hadn’t.

    The jungle hatti appears

    About two hours later, the mahouts became active, calling to each other and moving to the exterior of the enclosure, closer to the fence line. The mahouts understand the danger of wild elephants; I was told they were afraid of this hatti because he was wild.

    When I first saw the jungle hatti my heart melted. He was just a kid, maybe 10 years old. His skin pigment was much darker than that of the two captive-held BBP residents who accompanied him into the clearing. The three stuck together like glue, with the jungle hatti sandwiched in the middle.

    The mahouts nervously checked their escape routes. The jungle hatti tensed when they started yelling to warn each other that the wild one had emerged from the forest. I was in awe at the scene unfolding.

    Once the hatti and his friends converged with other herd members, the tension in the air dissipated. All the elephants appeared quite comfortable with their wild cousin. In fact, they seemed to know each other quite well.

    Shiva, the baby of the herd, could not get enough of his wild friend. He followed him around, pushed and shoved on his legs and trunk, trying to get the jungle hatti to play. What a sight — tiny Shiva and this wild 10-year-old, acting as if their interactions were common place. And perhaps they were.

    During the daytime hours, the BBP herd is on exhibit in the drive-through safari section of the Park, corralled in a pasture area with a sizable pond. The new 122-acre chain free enclosure eliminates the need for the elephants to be chained during the day to contain them.

    But at night, the entire herd is released in the nearby National Park to forage and commune with wild elephants. Captivity is a burden for elephants but this arrangement, releasing the elephants into the wild overnight, is genius and the healthiest captive situation I am aware of in India.

    An adoptive family

    Throughout the day, the jungle hatti continued to interact with the entire herd. When Shiva became too much of a pest, as a younger sibling sometimes is, the jungle hatti pushed Shiva off his feet. Without a single vocalization Shiva’s mother and aunt instantly moved in on either side of him.

    I realized I was holding my breath when the elephants relaxed and returned to eating. Shiva got up, brushed himself off and went right back to pestering the jungle hatti.

    It was then that I understood the relations was familiar. For whatever reason the jungle hatti left his biological family and had joined the BBP family. And they had accepted him.

    He grazed with them, swam with them, dusted with them, communed with them. The only thing he had not yet done in the past two weeks was to leave the corral with them, but it was time.

    Food and friends entice

    The mahouts wanted suggestions how to get the jungle hatti to leave the corral. After I assured them that food and the companionship of his friends would entice the wild one to leave the corral, the mahouts had the confidence to implement a plan.

    At 5pm, amidst anticipatory rumbles and trumpets, the food truck arrived. Buckets of prepared treats were unloaded, each containing supplemental, softball-size rice balls. Elephants and mahouts alike were in high gear, vocalizing and dashing around on opposite sides of the corral fence.

    The young jungle hatti resumed his position sandwiched between the two other juveniles as they raced back and forth in unison, moving like a perfectly synchronized school of fish. His head and tail were raised, his eyes bugged. He was afraid, prompted by the noisy humans on the other side of the fence.

    The jungle hatti and his bodyguards hung back while the other elephants were called from the corral. There was organized confusion as the elephants ran in every direction to their appointed mahout and food bucket. As mahouts gently placed the freshly prepared nutritious food balls inside the gaping mouths of their respective charges, the jungle hatti and friends continued to pace the inside of the corral.

    Finally, it was time to see if the plan would work. The empty buckets had been gathered and, along with the nervous mahouts, were sitting in the back of the truck that stood ready to speed away if necessary.

    As the jungle hatti and his escorts made a wide circle back toward the lake, one brave mahout opened the gate.

    The jungle hatti nervously approached the open gate with his friends close on either side. At one point he broke ranks and turned to run away, but his friends quickly sandwiched him and helped guide him out through the open gate. He was seriously frightened but clearly he trusted his friends.

    Once through the gate, it was all butts, raised tails and trumpets of excitement as the entire herd stampeded off toward the National Park.

    The mahouts were all smiles as the elephants disappeared over the hill into the forest.

    I have never before observed a more powerfully moving sight. This herd of elephants–some wild caught decades ago, some rescued from temples, some captive born at BBP–and one wild boy who chose them for his new family.

             

     

  • Capture is an ill-conceived solution to human-elephant conflict

    Capture is an ill-conceived solution to human-elephant conflict

    Corbett Tiger Reserve eles

    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 survival.

    Elephants leave their forest home in search of food. Until villagers are given alternative means to meet their daily needs without depleting forest resources, the problem will continue.

    Lacking a well-thought-out plan to combat the problem, the Indian government continues to resort to crisis management. Always a step behind the problem, they have failed in their responsibility to the welfare of marginalized people and wild elephants.

    Capturing elephants is an ill-conceived, short-term solution to a long-term problem. Although it is ethically repugnant to some, others have no problem incarcerating wild elephants to a life in chains.  How a people who profess to believe that Ganesh is god can capture and torture his likeness is disturbing.

    To avoid a continued escalation of the problem, the government must devise a way to protect the village people, the wild elephants and their forest home.

    Potential solutions to these pressing problems need immediate and thoughtful consideration. The future of the forest, wildlife and the villagers who encroach upon the forest are at stake. Ignoring any aspect of the problem will result in failure–a loss for humans and uncertain future for India’s forests and elephants.

    Some foreign NGOs recognize the need to relocate villages and open elephant corridors and are pursuing initiatives. But most efforts by local and foreign NGOs to create protected areas for elephants at no expense to the government have, to date, been thwarted.  Government resistance to outsiders bankrolling solutions to the human elephant problem seems counterintuitive and bewildering.

    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 already huge culture gap that divides humans who view all beings as sentient and those who do not. As the situation continues to repeat itself over and over again I realize—even though I am still unsure of the outcome—that an expression of my concern is required.

    Over the past four months I have been immersed in creating a healthy environment for six captive held elephants in Nepal. The challenge to improve their welfare is relatively easy, their transition seemingly effortless. The problems we experience are not with the elephants, it’s with people.

    Although the facility where I am working is a private NGO conducting wildlife conservation studies, the general public feels it is their right to enter the grounds and act in any manner they please, which at a minimum consists of invading the animals’ personal space to take photos—not of the animal but of themselves standing next to the animal. Sadly, the animal is insignificant; it is a photo of themselves that they wish to save for prosperity.

    It has become increasingly distressing to witness the degree to which people disregard and abuse animals. Even authority figures are unable to protect captive held wildlife and wild animals from insidious abuse by humans.

    This exasperating situation is repeated all over Asia, where wildlife, both captive and in-situ, find themselves harassed by frenzied mobs of non-empathetic humans.

    Take, for example, the recent craze in Coimbatore forests in India, where crowds of people gather on a regular basis to incite wild elephants to become aggressive. Who has the power to change the mindset that gives people permission to harass wild animals on this grand scale? Where is common decency? And where does religion come into play in the cultural abuse of non-human animals?

    It has been my observation that policing authorities have little influence on crowds of people unless batons and violence are employed. A seemingly docile crowd can erupt into an angry, violent mob in seconds. The trigger that transforms a crowd of people is simple: ask someone to stop doing what s/he is doing.

    For example, request that a person not enter a private area and your request will be met with a refusal,  followed by immediate argument. All the while, the offender will continue to enter the premises, totally ignoring the request.

    The problem is compounded if the person is not alone but accompanied by others, which is most often the case. Everyone will equally ignore the request and add their voice to the argument. The volume of verbal resistance increases until a confrontation ensues, with the offending crowd encircling the requester, yelling their refusal in an attempt to intimidate.

    The offenders appear to cross all lines of common decency, causing stress and trauma to the wildlife, who have no other way to respond but to become aggressive to protect themselves. At this point the animal is viewed as the offender and made to suffer further for his/her response to the abusive crowd of unruly people.

    Trying to stop the abuse

    I wonder almost every day what can be done to prevent widespread, systematic animal abuse. Education is the most obvious, but until such time as a new generation can be sensitized to the pain and suffering of non-human animals, the question remains, what can be done to protect the innocent?

    We have tried posting signs, which are torn down and spat upon. Placing an educator in key locations to speak with the public, both about the wildlife and the appropriate human behavior in the presence of wildlife, proved equally ineffective. The public argues, demands to be allowed past the barrier, pushes past, verbally abuses the educator and demands to touch, feed and have their photo taken touching the captive wildlife.

    I witness crowds of people taunting wild animals and intentionally abusing domestic livestock and street dogs on a regular basis. The lack of empathy and even malice shown toward non-human animals is mirrored in the manner in which a rioting crowd responds to authority figures. On too many occasions I have witnessed a complete disregard and disrespect for a reasonable and legal request, such as “please do not feed, tease, hit or touch the animal.” Surprisingly, many people appear to view these activities as one of their inalienable rights.

    It is not possible for me to turn my back and walk away when animals are being abused. As result, on too many occasions, I have become the focus of an enraged crowd of near-violent humans ready to bash my head in because I have told them to stop harassing the elephants, to not hit the dog or even to refrain from tormenting the baby rhino.  Admittedly, nothing I have tried has worked to stop the violence except to stand between the tormentors and the animal they have targeted. But this approach is not sustainable. So then, what to do?

    Fencing has been used to keep captive wildlife in. Until a new empathetic generation emerges it appears the same approach must be taken to keep the human wildlife out.

  • Bahabur’s surgery

    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 (elephants trained to assist mahouts in the capture, training and management of wild elephants) who only days before successfully pulled a wild rhino from a mud bog nearly lost his right ear in a fight with a wild bull elephant.

    Bahabur is intimately familiar with both captive and wild elephants. He lives with a non-related herd of koonki elephants whose job it is to assist their wild kin by participating in human-elephant conflict mitigation.

    When wild elephants emerge from the forest in search of food and water, they raid crops and create havoc. In an effort to protect both elephants and humans, Bahabur and his herd, guided by their mahouts, becomes a formidable barrier between wild elephants and trouble, literally saving the wild elephants’ lives.

    Many elephants are killed as result of crop raiding–poisoned, shot, electrocuted, their mouths blown apart by bomb-laden food. These koonkis are the front line of protection for their brethren and the villagers whose encroachment and farming activity create such a dangerous situation for everyone involved.

    Bahabur stood motionless, his right ear ripped in half, dangling painfully under its own weight. The cartilage was ripped apart at the top ridge of his ear. The flesh that covered the back of his ear was torn from the ear, creating a huge gaping pocket between the skin and cartilage. It was a seriously gruesome sight and no doubt painful.

    The attack had happened eight to 12 hours before, after Bahabur, just coming into his annual musth season, had uprooted his tether tree and headed straight into trouble.

    Mahouts tracked Bahabur and received no resistance when they instructed him to return home.

    The expert mahout staff managed Bahabur while Drs. Bhupen Sarma and Anjan Talukdar assessed the injury. In a natural self-medicating fashion, Bahabur had packed the gaping wound with dirt, which needed to be removed before surgery could begin.

    Without complaint Bahabur reclined in a half-sitting position, giving the veterinarians access to the wound. No one yelled, hit or in any way badgered Bahabur. Instead they spoke calmly and confidently, patiently waiting for Bahabur to respond to their commands and get comfortably situated.

    In soft tones, treatment instructions were given. The wound was cleaned, flushed out with clean water and Betadine.

    The veterinarians and mahouts worked seamlessly together, voices low as they repaired the half-severed ear of this full-grown bull elephant.

    From time to time Bahabur needed to stand in order to readjust and, I believe, to distract himself from the pain. After a few seconds standing he would once again respond to the patient command given by his mahout to recline.

    With only a local anesthetic to deaden the pain in the area to be sutured, Bahabur’s ear was expertly reconstructed; the torn cartilage stitched together with sutures and ripped flesh reconnected. The result was amazing.

    Bahabur is a mesmerizing example of this highly evolved, profoundly intelligent species, who for so long has captured my respect and awe.

  • 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 the fence crew to wait several hours at the Nepal boarder before entering. Clearing customs with 400 KG of power fence materials added to the delay.

    Dibyandu Ghosh and PaspatUpon arrival, Dibyandu Ghosh, the contractor, explained that his fences are not only functional but beautiful as well. He was not exaggerating. No matter the challenge—including keeping a captive elephant in while at the same time keeping wild bulls out—he never balked and consistently came up with solutions that were both functional and visually pleasing.

    Realizing that I did not speak the local language, Dibyendu quickly identified the go-to man, Paspat, the mahout supervisor. They hit it off immediately, as if they had worked together for years.

    Once construction started, it progressed quickly. Each morning Sweetie Kali would leave her stable for a day of patrolling and grazing the forest, leaving several men working diligently around her yard. Each evening she returned to be chained in her stable with the men still busy at work. She was soon encircled by the project.

    watching Sweetie KaliAs the fence began to take shape, the mahouts became more interested. Seeing is a powerful tool to grasping a concept. By the end of four days, the corral had been completed and everyone gathered to witness Sweetie Kali’s release.

    I wouldn’t say that anyone was apprehensive, but there was definitely a feeling of doubt. One researcher with years of wild elephant and rhino experience commented that the mahouts would now have to be with Sweetie Kali constantly since she would be off chains. His comment caught me off guard but showed clearly that the chain-free concept was difficult for them to comprehend. While I tried to explain that the fencing is what contains her, making a mahout unnecessary, his reasoning was revealed. He stated his concern that without the mahouts Sweetie Kali would not be able to function, would not know what to do, where to walk, even how to walk. I was dumbfounded. My response was, just watch, she will do just fine.

    mahout group

    I thought long and hard about this mindset — that elephants cannot function without their mahouts ordering them around. It actually made me sad to have to accept how misunderstood elephants truly are.

    The chains come off

    When Sweetie Kali’s chains were removed for the final time, she stood motionless next to her mahout. Indeed, she was waiting for instruction, expecting discipline if she acted without direction.

    Her mahout obviously did not comprehend his role either. When he was told to walk away from Sweetie Kali and leave the yard, he stood frozen, apparently confused.

    When the mahout finally left the yard, it took a matter of moments for Sweetie to realize she was chain-free. She took a tentative step away from her stable area and abruptly stopped, ears perked, anticipating a sharp correction. When no correction was forthcoming, she relaxed a bit and began to walk the fence line. Unable to let go, the mahout also hovered at the fence line. Sweetie Kali was clearly apprehensive. The other mahouts, administrators and vet techs looked on in anticipation.

    feeding cuchie to KaliI grabbed some kuchi (rice and molasses wrapped in grass) and tried to get the mahout to walk the fence line into the forest and throw the kuchi deep inside. As always, training the elephant trainers is always more difficult than training the elephant, so it took several attempts, in his native tongue, for the mahout to understand that he was not to hand feed the kuchi, but to disperse it in the habitat.

    Chain-free environment and free-choice food are two equally incomprehensible concepts to most mahouts. But after much-repeated instruction from his peers, Sweetie Kali’s mahout finally, almost reluctantly, hurled the last kuchi into the forest.

    Kali's backsideThat was Sweetie Kali’s signal that she was free to roam the premises. The last thing everyone saw of her was her petite backside as she disappeared into the dense brush. I felt like saying, “Sweetie Kali has left the building!” but realized my humor would be lost on this crowd.

    Bundles of fresh cut grass were deposited on the edge of her forest to be consumed at her leisure and the tech set up watch to record Sweetie Kali’s behavior until dark.

    Reinforcing: No chains

    mahout hutThe next morning, Sweetie was still nowhere in sight, which pleased everyone tremendously. As I sat in the open-air mahout hut reveling in the success of the project, Sweetie’s mahout entered her yard. Watching silently, I wondering if the schedule had changed; was she going to the forest early or was there a special tracking program? But then I realized that the mahout intended to chain Sweetie Kali under her shelter.

    Papsat and KaliI leapt from my seat. With as much composure as possible I rallied the mahouts, telling them, “No chains, no chains.” My heart sank but then Paspat, the mahout supervisor, appeared out of nowhere. Usually a quiet, mild-mannered guy, he barreled over to the mahout with raised voice and expressive body language to deal with the situation.

    The mahout explained that he wanted to stick to Sweetie’s normal morning routine, which of course included chaining, but was told, in no uncertain terms, that chaining was not allowed. He now clearly understood his directions. When the drama died down I suggested that the chains be removed from the stable area so they would not “accidentally” be used.

    New routines

    That afternoon when Sweetie returned to the hattisar and was released into her yard, she knew exactly what to do. Without hesitation she made a beeline for the forest and did not come out again until it was dinnertime.

    Before mealtime, kuchi and bundles of grass are stored outside each shelter, inches from the elephants’ reach. The routine is to feed the kuchi first, placing them at the elephants’ feet, and then piling the fresh-cut grass within reach. The elephant knows from years of experience that dinner is served precisely at 6 pm.

    Being chain-free meant Sweetie Kali was free to approach the inviting pile of food and beg to be fed early, thereby creating a situation where she might begin to bob in frustration.

    Everything had been progressing so well, I wanted to avoid creating such a situation. Getting the mahout to disperse the cuchie in the forest earlier than Sweetie Kali’s normal feeding time was not a problem, but then I saw that he put all her grass in one pile under her shelter.

    His fellow mahouts were all talking at the same time, telling him to take the grass to the forest. But he simply ignored them and walked away.

    dragging grassThis time Paspat did not come to the rescue. I was the only one who did not know he was off-grounds. Luckily, another official appeared and after several phone calls got the mahout to return. In a melodramatic display of unwillingness, he dragged the grass to the proper location—and then stomped off, muttering that he would not take orders from junior mahouts.

    By the next day Sweetie Kali’s mahout was over his seniority snit and began to show great pride in the accomplishments of his elephant.

    Many thanks

    GanashThat’s it, the entire story. Every day, Sweetie Kali immerses herself in her personal forest when she is back at the hattisar. She comes out to play in the dirt pit or chase birds and was seen and heard dashing in and out of the trees during the last big storm, but otherwise she is basically unseen except by Ganash, the young tech assigned to her behavior study, which he has taken on with great seriousness. Recording her behavior is an important tool for documenting her response to chain-free living.

    When Sweetie Kali leaves for her daily patrol of the forest, I inspect for habitat damage. I am pleasantly surprised at how little damage there is. She excavated a relatively small sleeping area, sheltered by huge trees and another smaller area for dusting. Aside from the thick curtains of edible hanging vines that are rapidly thinning, the damage is minimal.

    NTNC-BCC

    Sweetie KaliI have so many people to thank for the success of this pilot project including all the staff at NTNC-BCC, the forest department, Naresh, Ram Kumar, Chitran, Dr. Gairhe, Paspat, Nandu, Babu, Kiran, Ganash, Veena and Vishnu at IBEX Gallagher, Dibyendu and crew and especially the mahouts, because without their cooperation, the project would not have been possible.

    And finally, I thank Sweetie Kali for unknowingly volunteering to participate in this important pilot project, one that will undoubtedly have a huge impact on how captive elephants are kept in Nepal.

    Please visit EAI’s Facebook page so I can keep you updated on our progress as it happens!

  • March update on India Care Center Project

    March update on India Care Center Project

    Carol in her officeFrom 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 reality checks.

    It is so important that I am here now—on the care center site—to study the land, the wild elephant activity in the adjacent forest, the habits of the local villagers and the laws that govern land ownership and use. There is so much to learn, I am ever thankful that everyone I am working with speaks fluent English.

    The project’s scope widens

    The project has remained focused on elephant welfare but its scope and approach has shifted a bit…for the better.

    Initially, we planned to have a relatively small plot of land in exchange for the care center elephants being allowed access to the national forest. Allowing elephants nighttime access to the forest is standard practice for the forest department’s captive-held elephants and seemed like a viable solution to limited day time space.

    But as I hiked the adjacent national forestland, I was disheartened to see how the forest’s resources are exploited. The forest herself appears to be barely breathing, suffering from over-grazing, intentionally set fires and the destruction of trees by the local villages that border the forest.

    Seeing the poor condition of the forest made me realize how the wild elephants are struggling to survive, with not enough food, water or shelter to sustain them. The idea of adding even a few more elephants to the already stressed habitat—reducing wild elephant resources even further—was a deal breaker for me.

    Following a frank discussion with the collaborators on the project, we decided to expand the land used for the care center, something close to 200 acres, thereby eliminating the need for the center’s elephants to use the forest.

    No chains, no dominance

    This change in operations has resulted in positive shifts in the facility design and style of elephant care.

    The original plan called for a small plot of land and giving the elephants access to the national forest at night. But I recently learned that allowing the elephants into the forest overnight called for a compromise: the elephants would have been required to wear a drag chain on one leg whenever they were in the forest. The chain helps keep them from being mistaken for wild elephants by villagers and makes it easier for the mahouts to track, retrieve and return them to their home during daylight hours.

    But now, with national forest use no longer an issue, there is no compromise required – chains will have no place at the care center.

    You can imagine how excited I am about this unforeseen turn of events! I had almost been convinced that in India elephants will never be completely free of chains. But with our land expansion we will be able to do just that—keep elephants on a large tract of forested land, free of chains and dominance.

    Infrastructure development and acquiring land

    As result of this positive shift in the design of the project, we need more time for preconstruction development than earlier projected. We must conduct an expanded survey to identify land ownership. Surveying the entire tract of land will provide the legal assurance required prior to constructing the miles of necessary trenching and fencing.

    This expansion also requires a follow-up communication to the government informing them of our desire to expand…even before we have begun!

    We also have the challenge of acquiring a small parcel of land that is essential to the project but is currently occupied by another person. We have received assurance that this parcel of land—approximately seven acres—can be acquired.

    In India, land rights are complicated but well defined, if not always enforced. In some cases property owners hold a deed and are permitted to sell to whomever they choose. In other cases, villagers and tribals who receive land from the government are allowed to pass the land down to family members, but are not allowed to sell outright.

    Becoming familiar with the regulations is essential for anyone intending to own, lease or occupy land in India.

    I am told that when it comes to land, possession is nine-tenths of the law and even in cases in which the land cannot be sold, occupants can accept payment to vacate. As I understand, once they have vacated the land, another person can occupy it, with stipulations that it be used for some agricultural purpose or forest restoration and it can never be sold. One small parcel of land essential to our project falls in this category.

    I am keeping a positive outlook about acquiring this piece of land, which stretches across the edge of the lake, one of the essential areas for our elephants. Negotiations are underway. All I can do right now is wait.

    Co-existing with wild elephants

    In the meantime, I am tracking the movement and land use of wild elephants in the area. There is one section of the care center land they frequent. All the collaborators have agreed that no care center land used by wild elephants will be blocked to them. Our goal is to be mindful that our project, although well meaning and helpful to captive elephants, not cause hardship to wild elephants who use the land.

    We have identified a small corridor just inside the care center property, adjacent to the national forest, where wild elephants leave the forest to enter the care center property. They have a well-established path, which will remain open for their use.

    Protecting this wild elephant corridor is another unexpected development that makes me even more excited about the care center project. Being able to create a healthy space for captive elephants to recover and thrive, while at the same time preserving land for wild elephants who migrate through the area, feels like the right thing to do.

    Care center and bird sanctuary

    With an estimated 180 different species of wild birds in the area, the care center property is already a bird sanctuary. Never before have I been so enthralled by bird watching but from day one I was in awe of the many different birds and their beauty.

    The lakes draw a variety of fishing birds, from the Indian Pond Heron to the regal Brahminy Kite. Their nonstop activity, sometimes entertainingly comical, has sparked my interest in studying these winged creatures with whom I now share my space.

    The animated and gutsy Blue Eared Kingfisher was the first to catch my attention. His fishing perch is feet from my outdoor office. The first time I watched him make a catch, I admit to being a bit shocked that this minute blue bundle of constant movement disarmed his prey by bashing its head against a rock.

    I’ve observed Brahminy Kites collecting branches for nest building, a trio of Red-Wattled Lapwings singing a chorus, a Black Shoulder Kite dive-bombing to catch a mouse and a Great Cormorant perching on a branch 30 feet above the lake on its awkward looking webbed feet. I’ve seen egrets of every size follow the resident horses, snatching up displaced insects. Then there were the stunning Rufous Treepie, Red Whiskered Bulbul and a pair of White Browed Wagtails who chased a Crested Serpent Eagle away from their favorite tree.

    Being able to observe so much winged activity has opened a new world to me.

    Survey and land

    Surveying the expanded land is the next step required to move forward on this project. Acquiring the seven-acre parcel of land currently in negotiations will come after that, followed by a government endorsement of our expansion. All this needs to be accomplished before beginning construction.

    Fencing and trenching

    Only after the survey is completed, the extra parcel of land acquired and government approval secured can we begin work on the perimeter trenching and electric fence required to keep wild elephants out and our care center elephants chain-free inside. The fencing is estimated to cost $7 per foot/$36,000 per mile. The approximately four miles of trenching and electric fence will come to about $142,000.

    Compare this to the average $100 per foot elephant sanctuaries in the US spend on fencing. For 7 percent of the cost, we can provide a safe and secure, chain-free environment for needy elephants in their authentic natural habitat while simultaneously protecting wild elephants and their land.

    I am very anxious to move forward on this project but am cognizant that we cannot overlook any step or detail in our enthusiasm to make the care center a reality. If great journeys are launched one step at a time, who knows where helping one elephant at a time will take us.

    Please visit EAI’s Facebook page so I can keep you updated on our progress as it happens!

    Thank you for your interest and continued support. This care center promises to be more than any of us ever expected. Thank you for sharing my dream.

    Carol

  • progress report of sorts

    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. Even the shade offers little relief. Thank goodness for the breeze that has proven to be a near constant in this area.

    Today a group of college students arrived to tour the property. This is a popular education sight for the conservation minded. The students, all city dwellers, were given an opportunity to see how desperate the situation is for the forest in this area.

    Included in the group was a man who has dedicated his life to bringing awareness to India’s conservation issues. We shared a few minutes of conversation and he expressed true dread about the future of the area’s forests. When I commented on how important it is for the youth to become involved in conservation, he bluntly said he felt there was not enough time for us to wait for this new generation to turn things around—at least not in this immediate area. It was a sobering statement from a person who has studied the deterioration first-hand. I felt his desperation.

    As the students followed their professor down the levee, responding to his questions about plant life and its purpose in a forest area, the resident Brahminy Kite soared overhead. This was her third cruising over the lake this morning and she was putting on quite a show. Her massive wingspan and grace were spellbinding. Keenly eying the lake below, she circled and soared, gently dipping toward the water.

    A much smaller bird pestered her with dive bombs but the Kite expertly shrugged the pest away with a well-calculated twist, dip and spin whenever the attacker got too close. As she soared overhead I was able to get a few good photos but none that really did her grace and precision justice.

    I am learning, out of necessity, about land holdings here. The jigsaw pieces of this puzzle are finally coming together to give me a clearer picture of how things work. Perhaps I should have read up on India’s land laws before coming but, honestly, the thought never crossed my mind. I naively assumed that you buy land, sell it, lease, rent or give it away. I now have a clearer understanding of other ways a person can acquire land, how land can be occupied and how possession is—or isn’t— regulated.

    According to those I have consulted with, one of the important things for me to know is that occupation is nine-tenths of the law. But more on that later.

    The collaborators on the care center project are meeting regularly to provide progress reports on each partner’s responsibilities and to discuss questions and issues as they arise. Everyone is dedicated to the project and wants to make sure we have considered every eventuality before taking the next step.

    The time that is being taken to ensure we don’t overlook anything in the early planning stage has been invaluable to me. More often than not, I awake in the morning with a much sought-after solution to a challenge or with a new idea that I had not yet considered. The work that is being done on a subconscious level—while I sleep—makes me laugh because, without question, I am working on the project day and night.

    In the process of developing the project I have been fortunate to meet many very kind and gentle people. They share a passion for the project, which is a blessing. I clearly remember while dreaming up the Elephant Sanctuary for Tarra that many people, mostly colleagues, were less than supportive of the idea. Of course my family knew very well that the dream I had been dreaming for so many years would indeed come to fruition and could not have been more supportive. So to have complete strangers, with no vested interest in the success of the care center project, show this degree of interest and support is very gratifying.

    On a wild elephant sighting note: A few nights ago an adolescent male was seen harvesting jack fruit from the tree on the perimeter of the village only a few hundred yards from my house. The fellow was sly and silent; I did not hear a sound. If it had not been for the village dogs sounding the alarm, no one would have witnessed the midnight raid.

  • blessing the land

    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 sounded like s/he was just outside my front door. The familiar sound brought an instant smile to my face. I stood motionless on my porch listening for more, any other sign of elephants. But there was only pitch dark and silence. I figured the music maker had moved on. But honestly, just hearing that one joyful trumpet was enough for me, for now.

    I’ve been thinking deeply about our project, wondering what impact, if any, it will have on the wild ones. Of course my desire is to do no harm, so educating myself regarding wild elephant activity in the region is imperative.

    This morning as I recounted the elephant music of the night before, the resident security man came roaring up on his scooter to announce that he had seen a herd of elephants. The night before they entered the property through a wide opening in the forest wall and proceeded to feast on bamboo, a fruitless mango tree and the huge Banyan tree that dwarfs the outdoor classroom area used occasionally for schoolchildren from Bangalore.

    Several piles of manure suggested the size of the herd and age of some of its members. From the fertilizer they left behind it appeared that this herd included at least two youngsters, one only a few months old.

    This sandal is a size 7, so you can see how small this calf’s foot is.

    Out of curiosity we tracked the elephants’ movements, following piles of manure, footprints and discarded vegetation. A horizontal chain that extended across a dirt road lay in two pieces on the ground. The heavy lock that previously held it together was splayed open and discarded. Most likely one of the larger elephants stood on the chain until the lock gave way.

    The amount of damage done was nil unless you consider leaf litter and a couple of broken branches a problem. After filling their bellies, the herd appeared to leave the way they entered.

    I am getting such an education — wild elephant lifestyles in the Bannerghatta forest 101. Living on the land shared by wild elephants is a gift and a responsibility. I look forward to the days and weeks ahead. I am realizing that this project has the potential to be much more than anticipated. One world, one elephant at a time has taken on a much more complicated meaning.

    One world, one elephant at a time — both wild and captive.

  • thinking about the big picture

    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 becoming a reality. This time things are moving slower, every step evaluated and reevaluated by the team of people involved.

    Vishnu is well respected for his conservation efforts by area property owners. At a meeting yesterday I learned that his land is unique to the area as he is honoring and restoring the forest with no motivation of capital gain. Apparently, over the years, many have tried to persuade Vishnu to turn the place into a high-end resort, but he has resisted all offers.

    I love the fact that the land has been honored, forest replanted, wildlife respected and only limited numbers of humans allowed to bird watch and escape from the city.

    Vishnu would be the first to admit he never imagined his restoration would benefit captive elephants. But there is a low-level, nearly undetectable hum here, like something is ready to unfold, blossom or be born. The land is ready to serve elephants again.

    I am intrigued by what I am learning about the ways of wild elephants in a semi-urban environment. The fact that they can avoid trouble is nearly inconceivable with the degree of human encroachment surrounding their habitat. Putting myself in their skin is frightening. Every step they take brings them too close to human settlements. Everywhere they turn there is a road, a village, a rock quarry. They have no space and no safe haven; they must spend a great deal of time stressed by this mounting pressure, no doubt resulting in the same types of illness anyone experiences when exposed to constant low-level stress.

    Being an optimistic person by nature I will not say the situation for wild elephants is hopeless, but being realistic, I admit it would appear that their chances of survival are slim. A major shift in the universal consciousness regarding our planet, resources and all life would need to occur, and quite soon, for mega vertebrates such as elephants, to survive in a free state on our planet.

    Not a day goes by without horror stories regarding elephants, both captive and wild, making headlines worldwide. In India alone, several stories appear daily, chronicling human/elephant conflict, elephants mowed down by trains, buses and trucks driving through national forests, elephants electrocuted on tea garden estates by live electrical wires left dangling intentionally to curb trespassers. Ganesha is alive in the hearts of the people in Asia but the connection to his live counterpart seems to have been severed.

    To date I have not seen a wild elephant in the forest bordering the care center, and honestly I believe I prefer not to. I can only imagine the toll the challenge of survival has taken on them. Where I would hope to see a calm and majestic inhabitant of the natural world, I am afraid I would see someone much different, a pale image of who s/he was before the human madness overtook their well-balanced world.

    The care center will be a beacon, a haven for a few needy elephants and an example for other conservationists to emulate. But time is not on the side of the elephants, captive or wild. I can’t say for certain that our small project will change reality for elephants…but like I said, I am an optimist and stranger things have happened.

  • 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 depressions. During monsoon season rainwater fills the many depressions, creating a series of watering holes, some deep enough for an elephant to wallow in. Judging from the age of the dung, monsoon season is probably when the elephant was here.

    While exploring another area of the elephant-lake shoreline I found footprints from a single elephant… Where he exited the water is quite muddy so his footprints were well preserved. They weren’t recent but they were BIG.

    I have been thinking a lot about the wild elephants that use this land. Their corridors must be reestablished and protected or wild elephants will not survive. I would trash my plans for a captive elephant care center if giving this land to the wild elephants would make a difference, but the reality is that 200 acres will not fix the problem.

    Guarding the national forest from further human invasion is an important step toward fixing the problem. One of the reasons Vishnu bought this land was to act as a steward for wild elephant land . He wanted to stop human encroachment, at least in this area. If more landowners took this perspective, things could turn around for elephants. They need land, connecting corridors and stewards willing to protect the land.

    The care center borders the national forest. Years back, in an effort to keep wild elephants from leaving the forest to raid crops, the Forest Department erected miles of stone walls. Unfortunately, with villagers growing crops just feet from the walls, the temptation is too great. Elephants—usually a lone bull— pushes over a section of the wall. It is an easy task for a full-grown male, who lowers his massive head and pushes until a section of the wall topples, creating an opening. After seeing a couple of these breaches in the walls, I am growing ever more thankful for my Indian collaborators.

    Vishnu has lived on this land for years, accumulating quite a bit of knowledge about wild elephants. He is required to know the species because his company is one that installs electric fences designed to keep wild elephants and villagers separate. I recently learned that he installed the fencing at Corbett National Park. Last year, while visiting with Christy Williams, I had the opportunity to observe the effectiveness of Vishnu’s fencing enclosing the compound where I was staying, smack in the middle of the forest. Late one night I noticed a juvenile bull standing close to the fence. He stood there for quite some time, several minutes for sure. He appeared to be contemplating something, perhaps the likelihood of being able to get through the fence. Or maybe he was just as curious about us as we were of him. Either way, the fence held him out.

    After a few more days of scouting, I believe we’ll be able to decide on the location of the perimeter fencing. This is a very exciting time. I do miss the presence of elephants but I realize they would be a huge distraction. I need to stay focused on the project. The elephants will be here soon enough!

  • 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 sunrise — simply heaven. I feel like myself again — I just needed to get out of the city!

    Derrick greeted me with a downward down stretch followed by his mellow tail wag. We hiked up the hill to see if I could get cell reception, but no luck. Actually, what I really wanted to do was some exploring. Derrick had the same idea and led the way. The granite rock formations on these hilltops are inspiring.

    Back at the house, Derrick went into a barking frenzy. I heard rustling in the nearby underbrush and expected to see a deer or two. Instead, I caught a glimpse of three wild pigs– two adults and a piglet — scampering in the opposite direction. I was excited — my first wildlife sighting!

    Mahadeva, a local tribesman, is helping me get comfortable with the area. We spent all morning hiking the property. It really is spectacular. One feature that the elephants will appreciate is the diversity of the land, from pastures to rocky hillsides, forest and, of course, a beautiful lake. I saw that one of the creeks feeds fresh water into the lake. Partially spring fed — just another plus.

    This land is elephant country. At one time all the land around here belonged to wild elephants. I have been thinking hard about this reality.

    Late this afternoon I decide to set out on another hike, this time to see if I could find a cell phone signal. I was gifted a pin drive which, if in range, will give me wireless internet service for my computer. I was determined to locate a signal.

    Vishnu says he gets reception in front of his house but I did not, so I hiked further. I finally did get a signal and wouldn’t you guess it was smack dab in the middle of elephant country on the shore of the lake. I had to laugh out loud. What a fabulous place to set up my mobile office. I plopped myself down on a granite bench and was able to send and receive emails while watching a variety of birds fishing on the lake.

    This care center is going to be more than I even envisioned. It is heaven and the elephants will love it. I am so happy to be back, to make dream real.