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Of the Many W a y s Yo u r Donation Makes an Incredible Impact!
1. Forestation Restoration Habitat destruction is the most pressing issue facing the Asian elephant population: a 2011 study by Conservation International listed the Indo – Burma Forest Hotspot, which includes Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and Burma, as the most threatened in the world. By their estimate, only five percent of these irreplaceable Southeast Asian jungles remain intact. Wild elephants, whose family groups typically need over ten thousand acres of habitat to survive, are suffering in the face of logging and farming interests. Save Elephant Foundation is committed to stemming this destruction through working with volunteer groups, local farmers, government agencies, and temples with forest restoration. The support of local monks has been invaluable to our reforestation projects. Because Thai culture holds Buddhist monks in the highest regard, their orange clothes and prayers are considered sacred. Monks have aided our effort by blessing and donating thousands of these special clothes, which are then tied around trees and ensure the forests survival. In Thai culture, to cut a tree protected by the holy cloth would be to invite several lifetimes of bad karma. That’s a risk few people, even those in the illegal logging industry, would dare to take. By restoring lost habitat, we increase our capacity to rescue more elephants from abusive situations and heal the fragmented range of wild populations. Save Elephant Foundation hopes to one day release rehabilitated elephants from our projects back into their natural habitat, where they can join a recovered wild population roaming the jungle freely. Wild and rescued elephants coexisting in preserved jungle environments: a dream we are building towards every day.
2. Elephant Sanctuary Cambodia The Save Elephant Foundation is working within the Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary to protect and conserve 1 million acres of jungle habitat, approximately one hour north of Angkor Wat. The project spans 25,000 acres and aims to protect the land and all of the native species, flora and fauna, that call it home, including tigers, monkeys, buffalos, and of course, the Asian elephant. Initially, this project will focus on tree planting and restoring the region’s forest and combatting the illegal logging that has taken place. Other goals for the Elephant Sanctuary Cambodia are plant and wildlife identification, seed collecting, trail-making and educational outreach. Be a part of this project from its grass-roots!
3. Dog Rescue Project Although dogs and elephants may not find themselves sharing the same space in the wild, the Save Elephant Foundation provides a loving home for both species at Elephant Nature Park. ENP Dogs began as a result of catastrophic floods in Bangkok towards the end of 2011. In rented boats navigating the river of streets, ENP volunteers rescued dogs trapped on rooftops and desperate for help. Many dogs were too afraid to board our boats and were given fresh water, food and medical treatment to sur vive on their own. Of the 2,000 dogs pulled to safety, 155 were brought to Elephant Nature Park to begin their second chance at life. Large ‘dog runs’ were built with all kinds of things for the dogs to climb on, swim in, and play amongst. A small animal hospital was constructed and a full time vet and clinic manager have been employed to care for ENP’s new family. Since the floods, many new dogs have joined the family, several of them puppies or pregnant mothers who’ve come from the surrounding communities and have suffered malnutrition, disease, abuse and neglect. ENP Dogs has also saved many dogs destined for the illegal dog meat trade in Laos or Vietnam. Currently ENP is home to over 400 dogs! Caring for all these wonderful animals is a full-time job, and we need your help! The project accepts weekly volunteers, so if you love dogs and are hardworking, we’d love to have you!
4. Elephant Nature Park Beyond the concrete jungle of Chiang Mai, Thailand, lies an entirely different jungle. A real jungle where lush, tree-covered mountains are home to numerous species of animals. Within this jungle is a special place — Elephant Nature Park (ENP). Unlike other tourist outfits in Thailand, ENP delivers something unique — a chance to interact with elephants without exploiting them. These gentle giants, while revered in the country, are not free from abuse. Every day, wild baby elephants are captured and taken away from their mothers (who are often killed) and forced to undergo a torturous training to domesticate them, the phajaan. This practice essentially breaks the spirit of the elephant, using fear of pain to train them to accept riders on their backs, perform tricks and paint. However, ENP provides a sanctuary for these creatures broken by tourism and the illegal logging industry. Founded in 1995 by Sangduen “Lek” Chailert, ENP gives these magnificent animals a new lease on life. At ENP, there are no tricks. There are no rides. No elephant paintings can be bought. Here, these elephants are allowed to live their lives free from bullhooks, free from abuse. Home to more than 35 elephants, most of which have been saved from the tourist and illegal logging industries, the Park offers visitors the opportunity to engage with the animals. Operating daily trips to ENP, visitors can choose to spend the day, night or even more mingling with these creatures in their natural habitat. At ENP, guests can feed the elephants and bathe them, and also learn about the plight of the Asian elephant and what they can do to help.
Please note that the park is also a sanctuary for more than 350 dogs rescued from the destructive Bangkok floods of 2011 and from the streets of Chiang Mai. The vast majority of these loving animals live in newlyconstructed shelters, but there are some that roam free on the property.
5. Baby Elephants with EEHV Treatment Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus (EEHV) EEHV is the leading cause of death for young elephants in captivity. Once they show symptoms of feeling unwell, it is often too late. Once the fever shows, there is normally only 12-24 hours before the elephant dies. The treatment includes anti viral drugs and we have a supplier in the USA. Currently we are focused on raising enough funds for Navann who has tested positive for this virus and we are mindful that other young elephants may become infected despite our best efforts to isolate and prevent the spread of this deadly virus. The best course of action is to discover the virus before the elephant shows signs and we are routinely monitoring temperatures and running blood tests. A 6 week treatment for a Navann will cost approximately $13,000. Dosage depends on weight so we are quite concerned about the slightly older and larger young elephants who will require a higher (more expensive) dosage. We would like your assistance to raise the necessary funds for Navann and if in the mean time, other elephants also develop signs of infection, we will then need to react to their treatments and therefore raise more money accordingly.
6. Elephant Care With your support, we are able to: • Feed our elephant herds a healthy diet • Provide them with the best veterinary care • Construct chain-free enclosures so they can have a future of roaming 24 hours per day • Donors in the U.S. may make tax-deductible donations to our partner, The Serengeti Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charity. Save Elephant Foundation is officially registered as a non-profit foundation in Thailand. As such, we are legally required to remain 100% financially transparent with the federal government. On our website we have the foundation’s certificates of registration pictured.
Thank You Donors!
For More Information: Website: saveelephant.org Phone; +66 (0) 53 272 855 Email: info@saveelephant.org
Our Address: 1 Ratmakka Rd. Phrasing, Muang Chiang Mai 50200 Thailand