Thailand to enhance medical care for elephants

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Thailand to enhance medical care for elephants
By Digital Content



LAMPANG, Aug 13 -- Concerned agencies in Thailand have joined together to improve the efficiency of medical treatment for elephants as the number of domestic elephants is decreasing rapidly.

Thailand’s Forest Industry Organization, the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre (TECC) under the Royal Patronage and Chiang Mai University are holding a Conference on Elephant Health and Bio-Science, with participating veterinarians, elephant research experts and elephant doctors from across the country.

The conference, opened at Suan Dusit Rajabhat University Lampang today and will run through Friday. It is aimed at discussing elephant conservation measures, focusing on improving the efficiency of elephant medical care to save the lives of the endangered animals.

TECC Director Pasakon Meevasana said there were more than 50,000 elephants in Thailand 50 years ago, but today there are less than 500, both wild and captive. The causes of elephant deaths include poaching, accidents, natural causes and diseases.

Mr Pasakon said it is necessary to develop medical technology to prevent and cure diseases in elephants, such as tuberculosis and trypanosomiasis which have killed elephants in both Northern and Southern Thailand, while there are other diseases that can be passed from humans to elephants which veterinarians need to watch closely. (MCOT online news)

[tna]2014-08-13[/tna]

[AGareth2]

don't forget the buffaloes

they get sick too!

[Crazy chef 1]

don't forget the buffaloes

they get sick too!

but the medication and cure of a buffalo is much more expensive,sometimes a few million bahts.

[hughben]

The elephant will become extinct unless the greedy are stopped.

In a zoo for every 2 elephants, only one calf is born. They don't breed well in captivity. I wonder if the elephants above are similarly affected like that?

 

The first move should be to ban ivory trading, possession etc. in Thailand. Yet again the powers that be do nothing when Thailand is a hub for ivory smugglers and the scum that profit from it.

And to think it is supposedly revered in Thailand.

[DrLom]

The elephant will become extinct unless the greedy are stopped.

In a zoo for every 2 elephants, only one calf is born. They don't breed well in captivity. I wonder if the elephants above are similarly affected like that?

 

The first move should be to ban ivory trading, possession etc. in Thailand. Yet again the powers that be do nothing when Thailand is a hub for ivory smugglers and the scum that profit from it.

And to think it is supposedly revered in Thailand.

Care to change greedy to Chinese?

[robertthebruce]

Anything positive for the Elephants is a step in the right direction...

[Fiddlesticks]

Elephants are such magnificent creatures with the gentle, docile Asian elephant being a real joy to observe close up.  Societies worldwide share in their awe and admiration of these fine animals and as such should demand as well as contribute to the preservation and well being of the elephant.  Thailand is one of the nations that has the privilege of being home to the Asian elephant and should take their responsibility for its preservation much more seriously than it has in the past.  The astounding decline from 50,000 to 500 elephants in Thailand should have sent alarms blasting though the global community years ago.  I hope the new regime here in Thailand will take whatever steps are needed to ensure that the decline is reversed and I hope that other nations will provide whatever assistance is needed to support these efforts.  

 

Perhaps if Thailand could see the financial benefit that the elephants bring to their nation relative to tourism income, they will at least feel some urgency to protect this valuable natural resource.  

 

Just my two cents baht!

[ezzra]

.... if there are any left....

[chainarong]

Two face Thailand, as I said in another blog, ivory trade, those elephants certainly need medical attention, matter of fact they need a resurrection miracle, tell me you are concerned Thailand when you stop the ivory trade.

[MILT]

"TECC Director Pasakon Meevasana said there were more than 50,000 elephants in Thailand 50 years ago, but today there are less than 500, both wild and captive."

 

These numbers are inaccurate. (Maybe a typo) This seems to reflect the lack of proper research and a unified census which is easily done by the data base from micro chips.

All domesticated elephants should be properly registered and micro chipped. Again less than 500 elephants wild and domesticated is just not accurate.

[belg]

thainess in action ... let's kill the national symbol of thailand for some cash

 

 

[Emster23]

The elephant will become extinct unless the greedy are stopped.

In a zoo for every 2 elephants, only one calf is born. They don't breed well in captivity. I wonder if the elephants above are similarly affected like that?

 

The first move should be to ban ivory trading, possession etc. in Thailand. Yet again the powers that be do nothing when Thailand is a hub for ivory smugglers and the scum that profit from it.

And to think it is supposedly revered in Thailand.

 

My hometown zoo in Portland Oregon does a good job breeding Thai elephants. Ivory smuggling must be stopped.... does this medical care include dental plan? (sorry, couldn't help it...)
 

[lostmebike]

If so concerned about their numbers, why the hell are they still paraded around town so much?

[MILT]

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The elephant will become extinct unless the greedy are stopped.

In a zoo for every 2 elephants, only one calf is born. They don't breed well in captivity. I wonder if the elephants above are similarly affected like that?

 

The first move should be to ban ivory trading, possession etc. in Thailand. Yet again the powers that be do nothing when Thailand is a hub for ivory smugglers and the scum that profit from it.

And to think it is supposedly revered in Thailand.

 

My hometown zoo in Portland Oregon does a good job breeding Thai elephants. Ivory smuggling must be stopped.... does this medical care include dental plan? (sorry, couldn't help it...)
 

 

 

I cannot personally speak for Zoo environments. I can say with most certainty that Thailand has a high rate of success in breeding of domesticated elephants.

I think one of the first items to address is compiling accurate information in regards to the true numbers of both wild and domesticated elephants in Thailand.

From there records can then be examined to see if there is a fall or increase in domestic populations. Also equipping wild elephants with transmitters/GPS to better evaluate the numbers in the wild.

Transparency and honesty is a great place to start. 

[Pinot]

Two face Thailand, as I said in another blog, ivory trade, those elephants certainly need medical attention, matter of fact they need a resurrection miracle, tell me you are concerned Thailand when you stop the ivory trade.

 

Absolutely correct. The ivory trade has to be banned. Make it illegal to sell any ivory product. It's the only thing that might help and not confident that will work.