Myanmar: Sanctuary for Unemployed Elephants

Export bans and logging restrictions in Myanmar have left around 1’000 working elephants in the teak industry without employment. To prevent these now-unemployed animals from being killed or forced to suffer as tourist attractions, the international animal welfare organisation FOUR PAWS has begun construction of one of Southeast Asia's largest elephant sanctuaries.

At the 17’000-hectare ELEPHANTS LAKE site in the Bago Region, veterinarians and experts will rehabilitate former working elephants, as well as injured or orphaned wild elephants, and prepare them for life in the wild. The first animals are expected to move into the sanctuary by the end of 2018.

Elephants as a Financial Burden

Around 2’900 of the nearly 5’000 working elephants in Myanmar are owned by state forestry enterprises, with the remainder in private hands. For decades, these often severely mistreated animals have roamed Myanmar's forests alongside loggers, helping to fell and carry heavy tree trunks. The introduction of strict environmental regulations has dampened demand for teak, however — leaving around 1’000 elephants out of work. «It sounds harsh, but for their owners the elephants are now useless and, on top of that, a financial burden. The animals are either killed or sold to the tourism industry,» explains Dr. Amir Khalil, FOUR PAWS veterinarian and head of the pilot project.

Rehabilitation Center, Orphanage and Medical Station

ELEPHANTS LAKE, operated by FOUR PAWS, will become one of the largest elephant sanctuaries in Southeast Asia. Spanning 17’000 hectares, the facility will provide refuge for both captive and wild elephants in species-appropriate enclosures. According to the IUCN, the Asian elephant population has more than halved over recent decades. Only around 2’000 wild elephants remain in Myanmar, with at least one animal falling victim to poachers every week. The site will therefore also include an orphanage for baby elephants and young animals, as well as a medical station with a mobile clinic.

Up to 300 elephants within ten years

On 1 May 2018, FOUR PAWS began construction of ELEPHANTS LAKE. Myanmar’s Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry provided the land for the project, while the state-owned forestry company «Myanmar Timber Enterprise» will handle the placement of elephants. «Our elephant conservation center is a pioneering project in terms of animal and forest preservation. Together with our local partners, we are establishing new, higher standards for animal welfare and environmentally friendly ecotourism over the long term. Depending on the rainy season, we plan to welcome the first five to six elephants by the end of 2018. Over the next ten years, up to 300 elephants are to be rehabilitated at ELEPHANTS LAKE,» said Heli Dungler, President and Founder of FOUR PAWS. More on animal rights and wildlife.