Part I: Record of discussions

Plenary session at the FAO Regional Office, Bangkok

Group discussion at the FAO Regional Office, Bangkok

Summary of the International Workshop on the Domesticated Asian Elephant - Masakazu Kashio

The FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific and the Japan Wildlife Research Center (JWRC) jointly organized an International Workshop on the Domesticated Asian Elephant from 5 to 10 February 2001, in Bangkok, Thailand. This was the first international meeting to be held on this subject by a UN agency.

Prior to the Workshop, a series of studies in 11 domesticated elephant range countries was carried out and the results were presented to the Workshop. The main objectives were to:

1. Define the situation of domesticated elephants in eleven range countries;

2. Identify priority areas of work, especially on registration and laws;

3. Develop work plans for each identified priority area; and

4. Develop a networking mechanism.

Over 100 participants attended the Workshop. The participants came from 22 countries, including all 11 countries that have domesticated elephants, plus Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and Singapore from the Asia-Pacific region; Belgium, Denmark, France, Spain and the United Kingdom from Europe; and Canada and the United States of America from North America. The participants consisted of government officials, representatives of UN agencies, international and national NGOs, elephant keepers from zoos, researchers, representatives of the mass media, representatives of private enterprises in the tourism industry, and private individuals.

The first four days were indoor sessions in Bangkok, and the last two days were devoted to a field trip to northern Thailand to observe various elephant conservation and ecotourism activities. The summary session was conducted in Chiang Mai.

The Workshop was opened by Dr R.B. Singh, Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative of FAO. In his opening address, Dr Singh remarked that both wild and domesticated Asian elephant populations are experiencing an ever-worsening crisis. The population of about 37 000-48 000 wild Asian elephants in 13 countries of South and Southeast Asia has been steadily declining, primarily because of habitat destruction. The population of domesticated elephants, estimated to be about 16 000 in 11 countries in 1995, has also been declining in parallel with their wild relatives. For example, Thailand had some 100 000 domesticated elephants in the beginning of the twentieth century, but there are now only about 2 500. The wild elephant population also dropped from 100 000 to 2 250 during the same period.

He noted that the country studies and this Workshop were part of a continuous effort by FAO after the release of a study report, Gone astray: The care and management of the Asian elephant in domesticity in October 1997. This publication highlighted the lack of a proper elephant census and presented information on registration, legal status, veterinary care and health, trading, etc. It suggested more involvement from livestock departments and NGOs, as well as technical and financial assistance from the international community. Since its publication there have been increasing offers of support to help improve the situation of domesticated Asian elephants. The support of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), an NGO based in the United States of America, to an FAO project working to produce an elephant care manual is one case in point. Further efforts should be implemented expeditiously and coordinated for maximum impact.

Results of the workshop

The team leaders of the 11 country studies reported on the latest information of both wild and domesticated elephants. The study results were very valuable in updating the number of elephants, their socio-economic situations, the latest conservation laws and regulations, activities of NGOs, etc.

After the presentation of papers from NGOs, researchers and government organizations, the participants were divided into four groups for in-depth discussions on specific themes. The major recommendations of the groups are summarized below.

Recommendations

Group 1: Socio-economic issues

The Group gave the highest priorities to the implementation of the following key actions:

1. Establish mahout associations in all range countries with the involvement of international and local NGOs as an advisory committee.

2. Encourage the registration of all domesticated elephants. To stimulate registration, owners and mahouts should be supplied with a basic first-aid manual for their elephants, medical record forms, and information on how to obtain mobile veterinarian care for serious problems.

3. Standardize training sessions stressing health care, physiology, elephant handling, specialized training for tourism, logging, patrol, census, etc.

4. Identify individuals who are holders of traditional knowledge and record it before it is lost.

5. Combine traditional techniques with current methods for more modern and effective training.

Group 2: Suggestions for a model law for domesticated elephants

The Group recommended the following:

1. Establish a network to assist countries to improve existing national laws wherever there are domesticated elephants through exchanging information, ideas, etc.

2. In addition to the 11 countries with domesticated elephant populations, the model law should cover Bhutan and China, which are also range states of wild elephants.

3. Make provisions to allow the departments administering the law to sell state-owned or confiscated elephants to private owners.

Group 3: Domesticated elephant registration

Group 3 focused their discussions on how to promote a domesticated elephant registration system in each range country and designed a standard format of items to be covered. The Group also outlined a central information database linked with national registration systems.

The Group recommended the following:

1. All domesticated elephants in every range country should be registered.

2. Every range country should identify an appropriate authority to register captive elephants, to enforce that registration, and to maintain a computerized database of registration information. The responsible authority should provide sufficient training of staff to achieve this task.

3. Every range country should collect the same basic elephant and owner information.

4. Each registered elephant would receive a unique microchip in the right shoulder and a unique permanent externally visible mark. The type of external mark and the standard location of that mark should be determined by each country.

5. Each range country should sign a Memorandum of Understanding to share elephant registration data and to establish and maintain a central database of this information.

6. Software should be created to enable each country to maintain a computerized registration database and to exchange data with a centralized database.

7. Funding to complete the open tasks should be identified by 1 July 2001. The tasks should be completed within one year of the receipt of funding.

8. A group should be formed to organize range countries regarding registration of domesticated elephants and to assist with the coordination of fund-raising efforts.

The Group identified the following future tasks:

1. Create a model registration form.

2. Create a manual that explains how to complete the registration form (assist with staff training).

3. Draft the text for a Memorandum of Understanding of members of the Domesticated Asian Elephant Registration Database.

4. Create a central database authority.

5. Create an elephant registration software system and central database.

Group 4: Framework for co-operation and networking

The Group recommended the establishment of a Domesticated Asian Elephant Interest Group (DAEIG), which would be an international multidisciplinary communication network, covering both wild and domesticated elephants. A sub-committee was formed to establish an Asian elephant website on the Internet.

Field trip

About 60 participants attended the field trip to northern Thailand to observe the activities of the Thai Elephant Conservation Center and the Mahout Training School run by the Forest Industry Organization, the elephant hospital run by the Friends of Asian Elephants in Lampang province, and the Mae Sa Elephant Camp run by a private enterprise for ecotourism in Chiang Mai province.

The participants were impressed by the dedicated conservation and health care activities and the well-organized ecotourism industry. The participants from Myanmar were keen to develop similar ecotourism facilities in their country.

Final session

The Workshop held the final summary session in Chiang Mai. The participants confirmed the success of the Workshop and approved the groups' recommendations. They promised to take follow-up activities in the countries and to meet again at the second International Workshop, which the Indonesian participants agreed to host.

Summary of country reports

A summary of the elephant status mostly extracted from the country reports is shown in Table 1. Based on a similar table prepared by Dr K. Yoneda, JWRC, in Japanese, the author modified it by extracting more information from the country reports with some supplemental information collected from other sources.

Table 1. Summary of country reports

Table 1. Summary of country reports

*1: Wild elephants also exist in Bhutan and China. Those in Kalimantan are believed to be a domesticated elephant origin group.

*2: Breeding between domesticated female and wild male or domesticated male.

*3: Breeding between domesticated female and wild male.

*4: Domesticated elephants are also targeted. Ivory taken from the live animal is legally sold.

Note: Because of space limitation, the projects sponsored by the US Fish and Wildlife Service Asian Elephant Conservation Fund are not mentioned in this table. See the report of Dr Karl Stromayer for details.

Group reports

Group 1: Socio-economic issues

Group 1 members identified the following actions as being important to support efforts to improve the socio-economic conditions of the domesticated Asian elephant and mahouts. The Group defined a mahout as"the trained person who has the ability and responsibility to care for and control the elephant with direct contact”.

1. To improve the status, skills and livelihood of mahouts:

a) Establish mahout associations in all range states with the involvement of international and local NGOs as an advisory committee.

b) Standardize training sessions stressing health care, physiology, elephant handling, specialized training for tourism, logging, patrol, census, etc.

c) Establish an apprenticeship system to maintain traditional knowledge (in many cases, sons of mahouts do not follow the mahout career).

d) Establish a mahout exchange programme to share knowledge between mahouts in other countries. Translators will of course be necessary in most cases.

e) Establish mahouts as professionals by using media, standardized training etc.

f) Require governments or owners to supply insurance and health care for mahouts and families. Offer education (e.g. English language skills) to mahouts to improve their status.

g) Standardize wages if possible.

h) Combine traditional techniques with current methods for more modern and effective training.

i) Establish a mahout certification or licence system.

2. To strengthen research on the management of domesticated elephants:

a) Carry out veterinary research to establish baseline data for elephant health comparisons.

b) Identify individuals who are holders of traditional knowledge, and record them.

c) Study mahout cultures to learn how to adapt them better to the realities of modern times.

d) Study the economic aspects of elephant businesses by types, e.g. the opportunities and prospects, investment, incomes to a farm, payment to mahouts.

e) Study nutritional needs for elephants with easily available and affordable supplements based on blood testing.

f) Study the feasibility of using elephant dung for by-products such as biogas, fertilizer, etc., with readily available technologies.

g) Require owners of cultivated estates to take responsibility for elephant-proofing their lands (e.g. by constructing fences).

h) Standardize health and safety protocols for domesticated elephant establishments.

3. To develop management protocols and sustainable employment for domesticated elephants:

a) Encourage the registration of all domesticated elephants. To stimulate registration owners and mahouts should be supplied with a basic first-aid manual for their elephants, medical record forms and information on how to obtain mobile veterinarian care for serious problems.

b) Encourage exchanges of veterinarians for sharing knowledge and standardizing skills related to elephant care.

c) Establish the minimum diet requirement for elephants. Encourage local villagers to plant elephant food crops to sell to neighbouring elephant camps. This would enable the local people to benefit economically from elephants. NGOs could lease wasteland from the government to create croplands for elephant food.

d) Determine dignified employment for elephants, e.g. in tourist venues in natural habitats (not cities); legal and sustainable logging camps; patrols in national parks or other protected areas, and anti-crop raiding sites; and combine with educational programmes. However, discourage employment in circus-type show businesses.

e) Each country should determine the employment capacity of their areas and decide whether to discourage or encourage the breeding of domesticated elephants.

f) Release domesticated elephants to natural habitats.

4. To promote public awareness on elephants and their problems:

a) Develop multimedia education programmes for schools to increase students' appreciation of elephants.

b) Encourage villagers to keep and utilize domesticated elephants wherever feasible.

c) Teach respect for elephants, and strategies that allow elephants and humans to co-exist. Educate people on how elephants can benefit their societies.

d) Discourage the manufacture and sale of elephant products from skin, hair, tusks, etc.

e) Promote the use of elephant dung as by-products, e.g. biogas, paper, fertilizer, traditional medicines.

f) Educate people about the root causes of elephant attacks on humans and crop raids, which sometimes result in the death of humans and elephants.

Recommendations

It is strongly recommended that the domesticated Asian elephant range states implement any of the above actions in their countries depending on their local conditions. The following key actions are given the highest priority for implementation.

1. Establish mahout associations in all range countries with the involvement of international and local NGOs as an advisory committee.

2. Encourage the registration of all domesticated elephants. To stimulate registration owners and mahouts should be supplied with a basic first-aid manual for their elephants, medical record forms and information on how to obtain mobile veterinary care for serious problems.

3. Standardize training sessions stressing health care, physiology, elephant handling, specialized training for tourism, logging, patrol, censuses, etc.

4. Identify individuals who are holders of traditional knowledge and record it.

5. Combine traditional techniques with current methods for more modern and effective training.

Group members

Group 2: Suggestions for a model law for domesticated elephants

Purpose

To ensure the total welfare of the domesticated Asian elephant whilst keeping in mind the conservation of wild elephant populations.

Definitions

“Domesticated elephant” means an elephant that is captured from the wild and tamed, or its offspring if not selectively bred, as opposed to"captive” (kept caged) and"domestic” (dogs, cattle, horses, cats).

“Mahout” means a trained person who has the ability to control and care for the domesticated elephant.

There are many other relevant words that will need to be defined.

Scope

To cover domesticated elephants in reference to the following:

1. Capture from the wild

2. Breeding of domesticated elephants

3. Taming and training

4. Registration

5. Annual licensing and certification

6. Incidents of ownership - purchasing, sale, rental, transfer

7. Rights and obligations of owners - insurance and health care, after death, etc.

8. Movements within range states

9. International movements

10. Reintroduction to the wild

11. Proper management of domesticated elephants

12. Registration of institutions

13. Mahouts (for details refer to Group 1)

14. Offences and penalties

15. Elephants' rights and welfare

16. Rules, regulations and minimum standards for the keeping and use of domesticated elephants by both public and private owners or enterprises

17. Research relevant to domesticated elephants

Administration

The law is to be administered by a designated governmental agency. It is suggested that a single department should have full responsibility for both wild and domesticated elephants.

Rights, duties and obligations

1. Funding to be provided by public and private sources and accountability guaranteed.

2. Provision should be made to allow the department administering the law to take care of and maintain confiscated, injured, neglected, unclaimed and retired elephants.

3. Provision should be made to allow the administering departments to arrange for institutions and/or land facilities to house and accommodate confiscated, injured, neglected, unclaimed and retired elephants.

4. Provision should be made to allow the departments administering the law to transfer custody of confiscated, injured, neglected, unclaimed and retired elephants to public or private institutions.

5. The department administering the law retains ultimate responsibility for the welfare of elephants.

6. Coordination and co-operation with other governmental (Forestry, Environment etc.), non-governmental and international organizations.

7. Provision should be made for a Technical Advisory Committee to assist the department administering the law, in policy formulation, coordination with other agencies, international programmes, special projects, etc.

8. The department administering the law will be responsible for framing, issuing and supervising the implementation of the rules and regulations pertaining to domesticated elephants.

Enforcement and penalties

1. Right to bring an action to enforce the law by:

• Department administering the relevant law

• NGO or any other institution

• Individual.

2. Penalties - violations under the provisions of this law will be punishable by administrative or legal actions depending upon the seriousness of the act or omission.

3. The penalties applicable to violations shall reflect the severity of the act or omission and may include: civil damages, repair and restoration of property damaged or destroyed, specific performance, reprimands, censure, suspension or revocation of licences, confiscation, fines and/or imprisonment.

Recommendations

1. Establish a network to deal with all aspects of laws and assist countries where there are domesticated elephants, e.g. exchange of laws, ideas, etc.

2. Countries having domesticated elephants are defined as the range states of wild elephants and do not include countries that have elephants only in zoos. There are thirteen such range states.

3. Create provisions for departments administering the law to be able to sell state-owned or confiscated elephants to private owners.

4. Realizing the fact that international trade in live Asian elephants from certain range countries may not be detrimental to the survival of the species, a review of the provisions of the CITES should be carried out to facilitate some restricted movements of registered live elephants, both between recognized institutions in the range states and other countries, while continuing with the existing regulations relating to the trade in ivory of the Asian elephants.

Group members

Group 3: Domesticated elephant registration

Purpose and justification

1. Monitoring population size and demographic status and carrying out population-wide, long-term research

• Recruitment into population (self sustaining or import from wild)

• Improvements in veterinary care, nutrition, animal welfare and general care.

2. Law enforcement

• Bangkok street elephant issue

• Animal welfare monitoring

• Monitor origin of elephants entering captive population

• Monitor movements within country

• Decrease illegal trade

• Allow legal trade of elephants and products

• Import of elephants for the purpose of tourism

3. Better management and planning for the elephant population

• Improved assessment of resource needs (providing extension services).

• Employment and training programmes.

4. Genetic reservoir

• If serving as genetic reservoir for the wild population, the domesticated population structure needs to be known.

Recommendations

1. All domesticated elephants should be registered in every range state.

2. Every range state should identify an appropriate authority to register captive elephants, to enforce that registration, and to maintain a computerized database of the registration information. The responsible authority should provide sufficient training of staff to achieve this task.

3. Every range state should collect the same basic elephant and owner information. Countries are free to collect additional information to meet their needs. The computerized database should be designed to provide some fields for entry of additional and optional information.

4. Each registered elephant would receive a unique microchip in the right shoulder and a unique permanent externally visible mark. The type of external mark and the standard location of that mark would be determined by each country.

5. Each range state should sign a memorandum of understanding to share elephant registration data and to establish and maintain a central database of this information.

6. Software shall be created to enable each country to maintain a computerized registration database and to exchange data with a centralized database.

7. Funding to complete the open tasks should be identified by 1 July 2001. The tasks should be completed within one year of the receipt of funding.

8. A group should be formed to organize range countries regarding registration of domesticated elephants and to assist with coordination of fund-raising efforts.

Future tasks

1. Create a model registration form.

2. Create manual that explains how to complete the registration form (assist with staff training).

3. Draft text for a Memorandum of Understanding of members of Domesticated Asian Elephant Registration Database.

4. Establish a central database authority.

5. Create an elephant registration software system and central database.

Additional studies

1. Evaluate externally visible marking techniques:

• Compare tattooing, freeze branding, chemical branding, and ear tags.

• Evaluate suitability of various locations for tattooing and branding.

2. Evaluate existing microchip systems and recommend a standard system for use.

Data collection form

A. Essential elephant information

• Name (but note that new owners give new names)

• Pre-existing registration number

• Sex

• Birth date or estimate, evaluation of accuracy

• Captive born or wild caught

• Origin, capture or birth location

• Temperament

• Permanent identification number beginning with country code

Parents and their ID:

• Registration location

• Current employment

  - Government

  - Private

• General remarks, distinct features

• Photographs

• Date of death

• Cause of death

B. Essential owner information

• Name of individual or institution (but there may be several owners)

• Address

• Phone, fax, e-mail

• Owner's occupation

• Age

• Sex

• Father/husband name

• Registration card number

• Acquisition method:

  - Purchase -> price, previous owner

  - Inherited

  - Donation -> previous owner

  - Capture

  - Birth

  - Trade

C. Additional data for registration

• Height and girth (give standards)

• Other body measurements (give standards)

• Eye colour

• Number of toes

• Tusker

• Life history

• Birth of offspring

• DNA fingerprint

• Elephant's employment history

• Mahout information

D. Permanent identification

Visible marking:

• Type

• Fire branding

• Chemical branding (caustic soda based branding paste)

• Freeze branding

• Lip tattoo

• Metal ear tag

• Ease of application

Invisible marking:

• Microchip

  - Cost:

  - US$2.50-US$6 per animal

  - US$0-US$2 per applicator

  - US$250-US$1 500 per reader

  - Donor(s)

  - Size: as big as possible but, depending on owner's permission, at least 5 cm

  - Location: should be applied to right shoulder

  - Name/number creation

  - Assign country code for number to begin with

E. Central database

Required outputs:

a) Elephant

• by country and province

• by owner

• by origin

• by sex and age

• by employment type

• by tusk/tuskless

• by permanent ID/name

• by purchase/sale price

b) Births

• by number of females

• by year

• offspring

• by bull

• by cow

c) Deaths

• by month and year

• by cause

d) Location

e) Language

• English

• Hindi (India, Nepal, Bhutan)

• Tamil (India, Sri Lanka)

• Bangla (Bangladesh, India)

• Singhalese (Sri Lanka)

• Thai (Thailand, Lao PDR)

• Burmese (Myanmar)

• Vietnamese (Viet Nam)

• Khmer (Cambodia)

• Bahasa (Indonesia, Malaysia)

f) Central administering authority

• Location

• United Nations

• Association of Southeast Asian Nations and South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation

• An NGO

• A university

g) Sharing of national information with regional database

• Which information could be shared?

• Elephant data

• Who decides on information sharing?

h) Current and potential future in-country registration offices

• MTE in Myanmar

• Department of Wildlife and National parks in Malaysia

• Department of Livestock Development in Thailand

• Forestry Department in Viet Nam

• Livestock and Veterinary Services Department in Laos

• Forestry Department in Bangladesh

• Forest Department in Sri Lanka

• Forest Department in India, federal and/or state?

• PHPA in Indonesia

• Health and Reproduction Department in Cambodia.

Implementation

Incentives to encourage registration and/or compliance with registration laws should be received through membership in mahout association. That might also increase social status of mahout.

a) Free extension services

• veterinary care

• training

• legal assistance

b) Free insurance

• Against life and property damage to others

• Against injury and death of elephant

c) Registration cash bonus

d) Law and policy

• Date of registration within one month of birth or acquisition or disposal

• Enforcement of mandatory registration to be defined by respective government

• Frequency of renewal/update annually at purchase, sale, birth and death.

Issues to be resolved

a) Mahout

• Registration and licensing

• Experience/training

b) Multiple owners

c) Multiple elephant names.

Group members

Additional input from S.S. Bist

Group 4: Framework for co-operation and networking

Objective

An international multidisciplinary means of communication should be established to assist in efforts to improve the condition of domesticated Asian elephants in range states. Information exchanged will naturally relate to both wild and domesticated elephants.

As a result of discussions, Group 4 recommends the establishment of a Domesticated Asian Elephant Interest Group (DAEIG). The principal characteristics of the DAEIG are as follows:

1. Membership

Membership available free of charge to anyone interested in domesticated Asian elephants - mahouts, veterinarians, managers, elephant owners, zoos, circuses, eco-tour operators, animal welfare persons, etc.

2. Functions of DAEIG

Establish a website/office and organize a biennial meeting under the leadership and services of a single paid full-time coordinator.

1) Website/office coordinator

• Independent

• Southeast Asia based

• Should be a range state multilingual native

• Attached to existing impartial organization (share resources of office space, equipment, and secretarial services)

• Cost study by FAO or somebody else?

• Oversight and review (plenary session input) by FAO or somebody else?

• Maintenance and continued funding (plenary session input)

• Recommendation has been made to submit to IEF for grant funding.

Functions of the website/office

• Identify NGOs and GOs

• Identify funding sources

• Current events calendar

• Data resources

• Bibliography

• Expert consultants list

• Economic opportunities/elephants/mahouts

• Job listings

• Existing laws - national and international

• Elephant events/meetings calendar

• Manuals on-line

• Technical organizations [e.g. the Elephant Managers Association (EMA), the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA), etc.]

• Studbook data

• Standards of care

• Exhibit standards

• Internet forum

• Format

  a). Questions and responses

  b). Anyone can view forum

  c). Must register to post a question

  d). Activity can be selectively viewed by last ten days, 30 days, 90 days, and one year

  e). Searchable

  - Topics

  - Laws and legislation

  - Veterinary care (when posting please state your affiliation and qualifications)

  - Welfare

  - Wild elephant issues

  - Elephant handling

  - Environment enrichment

  - Country forum

  - Nutrition

  - Suggestions/feedback for forum.

Additional considerations

• Language of site - English

• Minimal graphics

• Promote availability of e-mail, quarterly newsletter (register), and breaking news

• Non-political or idealistic - informational only

• Links to all elephant info resources/sites

• Outreach for non-web or non-English speaking persons (Fax/hard-copy newsletters sponsored by NGO) - check software to retrieve web-page by e-mail.

Sub-committee for oversight of website development

• Dr Jacob Cheeran

• John Lehnhardt

• Hank Hammatt.

2) Biennial meeting: presentations, training sessions, networking

• Follow-up to the first International Workshop on Domesticated Asian Elephant.

• Within range countries and rotate

• Sponsors for range country participants

• Limited number of participants if necessary

• Recommend organizing committee to be selected in plenary session - to determine host country and make site invitation.

3) Organizing committee

• Solicit volunteers at plenary session

• Fund-raising

• Solicit country invitation

• India/Indonesia possible sites for next workshop - need to formulate request; wait until can send info on productive outcomes of this meeting.

• Needs information from this meeting

• Goal is to have meeting in 2003.

• Identify distribution.

Group members