Contributing to elephant research in Thailand
Elephant Hills has been working closely with Chiang Mai University’s Faculty of Veterinary Science and Elephant Research and Education Center for several years. We have received plenty of valuable information and consultation from the veterinarians when it comes to constantly improving the welfare of our elephants. Hence, we also want to give back and support their hard work. In the past, we have donated medical supplies and provided them with information of our elephants, to be used in their research.
Elephant Hills Elephant Conservation Project contributes to elephant research in Chiang Mai University
We recently visited the veterinary faculty once again, and within our Elephant Conservation Project made a contribution to the elephant research the university is conducting. According to the head vets in the Elephant Research and Education Center, the welfare of the domestic Thai elephants in the Northern region has improved a lot over the past years. Overall, the camps are putting more efforts and investment in the welfare and health care of their elephants.
A very important factor here is the treatment and information provided by the Chiang Mai University and the Elephant Hospital in Lampang. When being able to conduct continuous research on Thai elephants, the vets from the university and government run elephant hospitals can provide the tools for the elephant camps for increasingly better elephant management and husbandry.
One of the themes of the on-going research is measuring the quality of life of the domestic Thai elephants. The focus is on the ways and methods of determining whether an elephant is happy and content and trying to come up with an index which can help to evaluate the level of contentment. In addition to the research and educating new elephant specialized vets, the Chiang Mai University also supports the Lampang Elephant Hospital and operates a mobile elephant clinic in Chiang Mai and surrounding provinces.
As we have learnt during our many visits to the three government run elephant hospitals in Thailand, when it comes to treating elephants, all universities with veterinary faculties, as well as elephant vets working for the Livestock Department, Department of National Parks or even in the private sector put heads together and help coming up with solutions to save more elephant lives. Be it wild elephants or domestic ones, we have their best interests at heart, and are proud to be able to support the welfare and conservation of this magnificent animal.
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