This article is a general introduction to Malayan elephants; the efforts being made to manage its population; what the future holds for the elephant and its habitat; and what we can do to help ensure its survival.
| The
Malaysian elephant is actually a member of the Asian elephant species which
is also found in India, Sri Lanka and mainland Southeast Asia. The elephant
is very adaptable, and inhabits almost all types of ecosystem. It is one
of the most important of our animals, and its successful conservation will
also ensure survival of most of the species which are found within its
home range.
Elephants were at one time found in almost all of peninsular Malaysia, except on the coasts and islands. There were so many that 17th century records show elephants were exported to Java for work. Elephants have been used in history as modes of transport; as battle animals; and for moving heavy weights, as in clearing forests. In the early days of aviation they were even used to pull aircraft into position! |
 |
Records from 100 AD show that trade in elephant tusks were already taking place. The trade in ivory has been a major factor in the decline of our elephant population.
Another factor, especially in this century, which has been more harmful and drastic, is the opening of jungles for logging, agriculture and development. This has isolated elephants into smaller and smaller pockets of habitat, with no organised access to other areas. In pursuing the perceived economic needs of human beings, we have forgotten the needs of elephants and other flora and fauna.
The encroachment of mankind into elephants' habitat, without consideration of the elephants needs, resulted in elephants encroaching in turn on agricultural land. They broke down fences(even electrical ones) to range, and to eat crops. This resulted in elephants being shot and poisoned in large numbers. Many were trapped in steel snares which almost amputated them as they struggled to escape. By 1972, the elephant population was down to 500.
In 1972 the Protection of Wildlife Act was passed, preventing the killing, hunting, confinement, or trade of elephants and other endangered species. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) of 1975, was adopted by Malaysia in 1977. This banned, among other things, the trade in ivory.
It has been estimated that, taking into consideration the breeding rate, the mortality rate, the need for mixing of genes, etc., there need to be 2,000 elephants to maintain a healthy and stable population. The present population is estimated at 1,200.
Behavior
The elephant is an intelligent animal, capable of excellent memory, and of solving practical problems. Elephants have crossed electric fences by pushing the wooden supports down, or by using branches to break the wires. Elephants can remember human individuals after one or two meetings. Despite their size, elephants are very gentle with humans and rarely harm them. Wild elephants can be tamed within a few weeks, and soon learn various commands.
Elephants are very protective of their herd, and females will sometimes become foster mothers for the young of others. They help their young to cross obstacles like streams, and allow them to escape first when their herd is surprised by humans.
They have a keen sense of smell, using their trunks like periscopes to find the source of a scent. Their hearing is quite good, but their eyesight is relatively poor. They make a lot of noise when foraging for food, flapping their ears and breaking branches, but can detect foreign noises immediately.
Herds, which can range from 2 to over 25 animals, spend most of their time looking for food and resting. They tend to range through established routes, capable of covering 15-20 kilometres in a day. They prefer easy routes, along banks of streams and rivers; but sometimes they travel along ridge-tops.
Elephants are vegetarian and have specialised molars with ridges for tearing up fibrous plant material. 60 species of plants have been recorded as eaten by Malayan elephants, their preference being shoots and young trees. Their diet includes palms, rattans, ferns, wild gingers, ficus trees, grasses, fruit trees. Of human agriculture they like young oil palms, banana trees, and vegetables.
 |
Contrary to popular thought, elephants do not rumble and crash around when on the move. Their feet are well padded, and they can move silently and very swiftly. |
Young elephants reach sexual maturity at 8-12 years. The gestation period of an elephant is 18-22 months, and after the birth of the single young, the mother will look after it for two to three years, during which she does not breed. It is estimated that a female breeds on average once in five years.
The Malayan elephant has a potential lifespan of 70 years; but on average females live up to 40 years, during which they can give birth to five calves. If the present population is 1,200 animals, it is estimated that it would take 12 years to achieve a stable, healthy population of 2,000.
Management
The welfare of the Malayan elephant is managed by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP), and more specifically, the Elephant Translocation and Capture Unit (ETCU). It is the job of the ETCU to ensure that the Malayan elephant in its natural habitat is conserved for all time. It has the unenviable and demanding task of doing this in the face of political and entrepreneurial pressures to take over the elephants' habitat. The EMCU has to manage the elephant population, as well as those of thousands of other species, within constraints which are narrowing every year.
As forest areas are opened up for logging, agriculture and development, conflicts between elephants and humans increase. As it is now illegal to hunt or kill the elephants, the EMCU is called in. They may advise on ways to exclude elephants from land, but this is usually ineffective. Then a decision has to be made to translocate the elephants to another area, perhaps in Taman Negara or Kenyir Lake.
A team of experienced elephant trackers is sent from the Elephant Management Centre in Kuala Gandah, to track down the offending herd. This may take a short time or may take several weeks. Once the herd is aware of being tracked, it can move very rapidly. The team may follow trails by footprints, by broken foliage and damaged crops, and by reports of sightings by farmers and rural workers.
When the team is close to the herd, three rangers break off, two armed with .458 rifles for safety, and one with a rifle loaded with a syringe of Immobilon. A shot with Immobilon, usually on the rear thigh, will knock out an elephant in a few minutes. The team has to follow it as it escapes, to ensure it doesn't harm itself when it becomes unconscious. For instance it could fall on its belly and suffocate, or it could fall while crossing a stream, and drown.
Once the elephant is knocked out it is attached by chains on the legs to several treetrunks; then an antidote, Revivon, is administered. This is a dangerous time. The former Director General of the DWNP, Mohd M. Khan made the following dedication to ranger Abdul Rahim Jalleh in his paper, The Malayan Elephant: A Species Plan for its Conservation: "After his morning prayers Abdul Rahim loaded a Landrover with banana trunks and drove it close to a huge bull elephant that was captured two days previously. The animal charged several times but was held back by the chain. Abdul Rahim calmly cut the banana trunks to feed the elephant. He was killed by the elephant when the chain snapped. On examination his rifle was found to be half-cocked. He was too close to the bull which got to him at full speed. Death was instant."
While the captured elephant is reviving, two trained elephants are brought in on trucks, and a path is cleared to the captured elephant. The elephant is sedated again, just enough to make it drowsy and calm, and the tame elephants on either side lead it to a truck. Then it is transported to a safe area, and released. It will wander on its own for a while, and may eventually join a local herd.
The translocation of a herd will take many months. About one hundred and twenty trained personnel are employed. The translocation programme so far has cost almost RM5 million.
The future
The welfare of the elephant is very closely connected with the welfare of its habitat. We are realising more and more the importance of our 130 million year old tropical rainforest. Its functions are:
The politics and economy of materialism perhaps has a place in our society, but it is difficult to convince politicians and entrepreneurs of the need to develop sustainable and environment-sensitive ways of exploiting our natural resources.
Elephant habitat is dwindling rapidly, forcing more and more translocation. What can be done to protect the Malayan elephant population? On a government level, the DWNP can continue to convince state governments to include biodiversity management in their development plans, and to include the DWNP as consultants. More areas of forest need to be gazetted as Protected Forest, Game Reserves and National Parks.
There needs to be more liaison between agriculturists and the DWNP on how to develop land with elephants and other species in mind, so that they have corridors between the various pockets of habitat; if the elephants can find enough food in the jungles and can travel freely between areas, they will have less tendency to encroach on agricultural land.
The DWNP needs to communicate with the public more on its activities, on the present situation, and on future requirements for biodiversity conservation. The public needs to understand the role of our elephants and the other species, and the role of our forests, in maintaining a viable and comfortable future environment. They will then bring pressure on the government to control and manage development in a more sustainable way.
What can we as individuals do to protect our elephants?
Meet an elephant! Find out more about elephants and what charming creatures they are by visiting the Kuala Gandah Elephant Orphanage Sanctuary in Pahang. Then you will be motivated to do what you can for them. Learn about our various local ecosystems, and find out how wonderfully nature works. Forest ecosystems are now being researched to discover how we will in the future need to organise our own socio-economic systems. By understanding ecosystems better, you will be in a better position to think and argue about elephant management logically and convincingly.
Help obtain funds for elephant management. The Elephant Orphanage Sanctuary annual budget has been cut this year, meaning a cut in staff remuneration and equipment maintenance. How will the Centre be able to save elephants and translocate them without research, trained elephants, staff and proper equipment? An expensive satellite tracking research programme is being implemented to study elephant movements. An Elephant Trust Fund has been set up to help pay for elephant translocations. Can you find sponsorship?
lobby the government to place more emphasis on elephant and forest conservation. Speak to your local MP. Write to your newspaper. Discuss the issues with your community. The elephants and the environment are not only a national, but also a global heritage. Whether you are a Malaysian citizen or not, express your concern and offer solutions.
learn about how we can downshift our use of resources so that it becomes sustainable. Only by investigating and offering viable alternatives can entrepreneurs and state governments be convinced of practicing sustainable development. Only by living our personal lives more simply, more efficiently and less wastefully will there be less pressure to develop in a destructive way.
Due to the impressive efforts of the ECTU, the elephant population has increased from 500 in 1972, to 1,200 presently. However, the target population of 2,000 now seems unattainable, as it is forseen that in the next few years there may be insufficient forest areas for elephant habitat.
Elephants are a big problem, but there is a solution! Can you be part of the solution?
See www.myelephants.org
for more information.
|
Back
to Articles
Back
to Main Page
© Utan Bara Adventure Team (UBAT) All Rights Reserved
