EAI April eNews 


Elephant Aid International President and CEO Carol Buckley returned from another trip to Asia a few weeks ago. Here's what she accomplished on her trip.

 
Japan: Hanako 

Carol's first stop was Tokyo to meet with the Inokashira Park Zoo about the living conditions of Hanako, the zoo's solitary 69-year-old Asian elephant.
 
Hanako, who was captured in Thailand as a two-year-old baby, has lived in a sterile concrete enclosure for more than six decades. As Hanako's situation gained worldwide attention, many suggested that she should be moved to a sanctuary.
 
Years of experience have given Carol an ability to assess what is best for a captive elephant based on her behavior, environment, and relationships with caregivers. Here is what Carol found:

The common consensus was that moving Hanako to a sanctuary was the only way to improve her life. Under different circumstances that might be true. But after visiting with Hanako and seeing her for myself, I realized that moving her now, at this stage in her life, is not an option.
 
No one is more heartbroken than I that Hanako will never experience her birthright, living in a natural environment with trees, grass and other elephants. It would have been a dream come true, if not for Hanako's advanced age, lack of teeth, failing eyesight, frailness, change in sleeping habits (she no longer lies down to sleep) and inability to cope with change. Hanako's reality is that she is a senior citizen in hospice care.
 
I am convinced that zoo staff are sincere in their intention to better Hanako's situation...Even though Hanako will not be moved from the zoo, the deficiencies she has lived with for decades will be addressed... This arrangement is not perfect, but Hanako will benefit from the improvements.

My goal for Hanako is to enrich her life while respecting her limitations. 
Hanako is a grande old dame who has given her life to the people of Japan. 
In her final days, every effort should be made to bring her comfort and ensure that she feels loved, on her terms.




Nepal: With EAI's Help, Resort Creates Country's First 
Elephant-Centered Program
  
Carol next traveled to Tiger Tops Elephant Camp, Nepal's oldest eco-tourism company and a leader in conservation efforts in Chitwan, to guide them in transforming their elephant program .
 
Working with EAI, Tiger Tops is the first resort in Asia to go chain-free and discontinue elephant-back safaris. Instead, visitors will learn about elephants by accompanying them on their daily outings and jungle explorations.
 
Installing new chain-free fencing

Carol also worked closely with the mahouts, teaching them essential foot care techniques and how to manage the elephants with positive reinforcement. 
"The mahouts were willing to experiment," she wrote, "and have seen first-hand that they can create a different way for their elephants to live."

Carol with the Tiger Tops team


Vietnam:  Carol Assists Elephant Conservation Center with Injured Calf

Animals Asia, a highly regarded NGO based in Hong Kong, brought Carol to Vietnam to consult with the staff of the Daklak Elephant Conservation Center. The Center has been caring for Jun, a four-year-old wild elephant whose trunk and foot sustained severe injuries from a snare. Much of Carol's focus was on creating a chain free corral for Jun and she advised the Center on his care.