One thing Ben and I wanted to do at some point here was to see elephants. I expected there to be some excursion similar to what we did in the Amazon in Peru, spending a few days in the jungle and observing them in the wild.
I was disappointed to discover that’s not really a possibility anywhere in Southeast Asia. They are currently endangered in this region and there’s not really a reliable source doing research on exactly how many wild elephants are left. Laos, once called the Land of a Million Elephants, now estimates to have about 800. Of that number about 500 are in captivity. This drastic decline in population is mainly due to them being poached for their ivory, used for logging, and more recently, domesticated for tourism.
When we were in Northern Thailand, there was a tour company on every corner offering foreigners the chance to ride and bathe an elephant in the jungle, and for only about $20. Everything I’ve seen on TV prior to coming here showed them to be very emotionally intelligent and family oriented animals. We considered doing a riding tour, but ultimately decided that an elephant taking basket loads of tourists to and from the jungle all day seemed a little depressing. And not really what we had in mind.
We’ve seen many of the same tours available here in Laos and they sell like crazy. Everyone wants that one photo, a shot of them riding their elephant under a waterfall or bathing them at sunset. They want that perfect picture they can post on facebook to show what an ‘authentic’ experience they are having.
I don’t mean to sound harsh or judgmental, I’ve gotten swept up by the same idea myself. But after learning about the violent realities involved in getting an elephant docile enough to ride or bathe, it’s clear this is a one-sided relationship.
We had the chance to learn about them at the Elephant Conservation Center in Sayaboury last week. Instead of opting for a riding tour we found a place that works on educating locals, ‘mahouts’ (elephant trainers) and foreigners about how to treat elephants ethically. They have a few elephants on their grounds and invite people to stay at the center for a few days to observe and learn more about them. They also have a breading program and medical services for the elephants.
When we arrived we spent some time with the veterinarian at the center, Emma, who explained more about what they do in Laos. Basically, with an elephant’s captivity comes abuse -whether it’s exhaustion and injury from being overworked in the logging industry or being harshly treated during the training process to make them safe enough for tourists. Each week Emma travels around the province and provides free medical attention to injured elephants.
All the elephants living at the center have been rescued from various circumstances. Two of the elephants there were pregnant. One arrived a couple years before, shot in the side by a farmer after she was found eating his banana trees. She lost her baby from the wound but has since become pregnant again. The second one is 22 months pregnant, and should be giving birth any day now. We went to visit her in the nursery area. One of the guides brought her a huge branch from a palm tree. As she sat their happily crunching into the juicy stems, we could see the baby rolling around in her huge belly. After she gives birth, her baby will need to be cared for and nursed for 3-4 years. During these years the baby is fragile and very dependent on the mother for survival.
They only had one male at the center. Each day he is put in the socialization/breading area to see if he will mate with one the females. We climbed up a tower nearby the area to watch. We observed him sniffing around the female’s nether regions while our guide explained all their personalities and relationship issues with one another. Some were more outgoing while other seemed frightened all the time because they’d never socialized with other elephants while growing up.
One of the interesting things about the elephant culture in Laos is the use of mahouts {pronounced ma-hoots}. All elephants in captivity have a mahout, regardless of their job. They are the elephant’s owner/trainer, who can spend many years, if not their lives, with the same elephant.
A mahout receives full responsibility of his elephant during a training process known as “the crush”. This process was explained to us by the center’s biologist, Annabelle. The crush is a violent process where the elephant is broken to become subservient to the mahout. It’s a rite of passage all captive elephants must go through to be viewed as tame and trustworthy. This process is directed by a shaman as religion plays a major role in this tradition. Many people in Laos, particularly in the countryside, adopt a hybrid of beliefs from Buddhism, animism and spirit worship. The shaman conducts many rituals throughout the crush to break the elephant’s connection to the spirit of the forest. Once the shaman feels the transition is complete, the elephant is released to the mahout. It’s been done this way for thousands of years.
The center had a baby that was going through the crush while we were there. We weren’t allowed to see it because we were told it would disrupt the progress. When asked why the center allows their baby elephants to go through the crush at all, Annabelle explained that, at this point in time, it was necessary to ensure a future for the elephant. If they did not go through the crush, no mahout would take care of the elephant because they would be afraid the elephant would try to harm them. If the center were to ever shut down, these elephants would have to be sold. If they were deemed unsafe or crazed, because they were not properly put through the crush, they might be shot.
The center is, however, trying to make it better by limiting the amount of unnecessary suffering during the process. They are trying to reverse the use of negative reinforcement so it is a more humane process based on positive reinforcement. Because this tradition is rooted in their religious beliefs, progress is slow. Working to change the perspectives of the mahouts is a major focus.
The obvious question is why they can’t be released into the wild. But it simply isn’t safe enough. There are currently no lands properly protected for the elephants to go.
Currently in Laos, more elephants are dying each year than are being born. Last year there were 3 births, but 15 deaths. As Annabelle explained, securing a future for them in this region is complex issue and many people need to be on the same page. To bring back their population of wild elephants they must have a safe place to exist, away from farmlands and protected from poachers. A ban on logging must also be in place. The perceptions and expectations of tourists must also change. They must come here willing to buy tours that involve simply observing them…and to be satisfied with that experience.
Some of the rescued elephants at the center are tame enough to ride. If visitors want they can ride them for about 15 minutes, but without the basket strapped to their back. Most of their time is spent wandering and eating in the forest, but as Annabelle explained, they offer a few minutes of riding because they feel if they don’t, the majority of people won’t come at all. She hoped that in time if people’s perceptions change they won’t come expecting this as an option.
Hearing her explain the dilemma so comprehensively, I examined my own choices. In Thailand we visited Tiger Kingdom, a place that allows you to pet and lay with tigers – mainly for the photos. After leaving the Elephant Sanctuary I look back at that experience with the same sentiments as I do about riding elephants.
After 3 days we left the center and went to Vang Vieng for a couple days. The landscape was incredible with valleys of bright green rice patties surrounded by sharp cliff mountains. We spent our time kayaking, tubing and biking around the countryside. Today we took a 6 hour bus northeast to Phonsavan and plan to experience the small village culture of Northern Laos.
-Christina
Moving Mindful 