Sri Prae brought to the elephant island
The elephant Sri Prae has arrived on the elephant island! After a difficult three-hour drive, we arrived at the Lammas water park this afternoon. What a reception! The villages of Baan Pai Yai and Baan Pai Noi turned out. Every idea to welcome Sri Prae was carried out.
Sri Prae gets out of the truck untroubled, and walks up to the people who want to meet her and give her fruit. Then an intense moment: Nok Noi walks by and sees all the food and another elephant! Sri Prae is curious about Nok Noi and tries to make an acquaintance. But Nok Noi stays back a bit. No surprise here, with all the excitement and after having lived alone for so long. We’re confident it will work out! The village elders come to bless the elephants and adorn them with garlands of flower and fruit . I watch the whole event from a distance. So many people, such wonderful responses… so very beautiful!
Sri Prae, 28 years old, comes from Tak, near the Burmese border, where she has worked in logging all her life. Three years ago she stepped on a landmine. Fortunately she can live in freedom at the elephant island from now on! Please read last week’s report, up to Sri Prae’s arrival on the island today: After checking several elephants, the villagers of Baan Pai Yai have decided on a village meeting they would like to welcome Sri Prae on the elephant island. Last Wednesday we went with a group from the village back to Surin to find out all the details, and to make the final decision.
Three years ago Sri Prae stepped on a landmine. After two years of treatment at the elephant hospital she ended up in Surin. Since her handicap makes is difficult for her to work, the new owner had bought her to get her pregnant as quickly as possible. After forcing her to mate 50(!) times in two months, he gave up. No doubt, so did Sri Prae. The back of her left forefoot is gone, but fortunately she can walk quite well. The foot does need daily care.
We discuss her condition with her vet, who has treated her since the accident. He demonstrated how the foot has to be disinfected: soaking in clean water and iodine for 30 minutes, then a calming and microbe inhibiting ointment, and finally a powder against parasites.
When we tell him about the project, about how the villagers together own the elephant and how we are creating an elephant island, the vet promises to come by every month to check on Sri Prae and stock up on medication. This is a great relief to the villagers. And good for Nok Noi as well, who we would really like to be seen by a vet.
The youth commission of Baan Pai Yai love Sri Prae. Holding bananas they venture to come closer, and slowly they become friends with their future fellow-villager. One villager has a number of banana plantations, and often gives free food to both the elephants. Soon everyone agrees: Sri Prae will be bought by the village of Baan Pai Yai!
We have two days to prepare for her arrival: talks with the villagers about taking care of her, and how to earn money for the elephants. The villagers want to organize a welcoming ceremony for Sri Prae. And to make sure Nok Noi doesn’t get jealous, they do it for her as well. Many ideas are offered: a welcoming sign for both the elephants, the village elders should bless the elephants, a fruit buffet, flower garlands around the elephants’ necks, and Thai dancing by the young people. They start their preparations.
Together with partner organization PDA we visit the gouvernor of Lamplaimat to check the plans for the elephant enclosure. The gouvernor agrees with our plan, and wants to sponsor the elephant enclosure. But the design we have ready is not very elephant-proof. I make some suggestions according to the way enclosures are built in the Elephant Nature Park. This increases cost, but there is no other way. The elephant enclosure will now be sponsored by both the gouvernor and Bring The Elephant Home. Wonderful to have the gouvernment involved, good for the project.
The gouvernor now also agrees with our plan to move the elephants to the neighbouring island of Koh Loy, and build the enclosure there. Together with PDA we then make a final design of the enclosure, and discuss the next steps: we need housing for the mahout, later also volunteer cabins, a banana boat… And how will we get the elephants there? Many steps to go, but at the moment most importantly: company for Nok Noi.
This morning at 5.00 am we left in three cars and a small bus. Everyone is very excited about Sri Prae coming over and the trip to Surin. We had expected to have a party in Surin, but things turned out differently. Sri Prae is startled by the truck, especially when she is forced inside. Her panicked reaction has the other elephants in the neighbourhood panicking as well. Roaring and trumpeting elephants, rattling chains, screaming mahouts, and hitting with hooks. Because the mahouts cannot control her, she is being chained to a strong bull. Finally both elephants get in the truck. Sri Prae is freaked out, and the drive home is no fun. Just hold on for a few more hours Sri Prae…, and then there will be no more trucks, no hooks, no pushing and pulling.
After a three-hour drive , we arrived at the elephant island. What a reception! Both villages have turned out. Every idea to welcome Sri Prae was carried out. Sri Prae gets out of the truck untroubled, and walks up to the people who want to meet her and give her fruit.
Then an intense moment: Nok Noi walks by and sees all the food and another elephant! Sri Prae is curious about Nok Noi and tries to make an acquaintance. But Nok Noi stays back a bit. No surprise here, with all the excitement and after having lived alone for so long. We’re confident it will work out!
The village elders come to bless the elephants and adorn them with garlands of flower and fruit . I watch the whole event from a distance. So many people, such wonderful responses… so very beautiful!
Finally Nok Noi has company! There is still a lot to be done on and around the island: planting trees, building an elephant enclosure and accommodations on the island, jobs in the nursery in order to have plenty of seedlings.
Will you support this project with a donation? For instance for the building of the elephant enclosure of Nok Noi and Sri Prae? As sais before, the local government will pay for half of the cost (a total of 100,000 Thai Baht), Bring The Elephant Home the other half, over 1,000 euros. For the construction of the housing for mahouts and volunteers we also need over 1,000 euros. In short… all donations are welcome! Online donations you can do here.
With support from Hivos we are able to carry out this project with and for the villagers of Baan Pai Yai. Hivos supports micro-finance houses that provide millions of people in the South with loans to let them earn a living for themselves. For this Hivos and the Triodos Bank have started the Hivos Triodos Fund. Hivos believes that people can best shape their own futures if they are given the means to do so. Besides this, Hivos takes business development up a step by helping small scale entrepreneurs with training and advice, and in the end improve employment and entrepreneurship. They also work to influence national policies in developing countries to improve access to financial services, especially for poor populations. For the elephant project in Thailand The Population And Community Development Association (PDA) carries out these tasks.
