By the end of saturday, our team members must have adequate knowledge about elephant conservation issues, the other ways in which ENP is doing to help elephants who are not in the ENP and about the Mahouts. A major part of Project ENP is about conservation so that the habitat of the elephants is sustainable, so it is important to understand the reasons and ways to conserve. Here goes:
- Introduction to animal conservation: Study of the nature and status of Earth’s biodiversity with the aim of protecting species, their habitats, and ecosystems from excessive rates of extinction. The rapid decline of biological systems around the world means that conservation biology is often referred to as a “Discipline with a deadline”. What we will be doing at the ENP – reforestation, taking care of the elephants, etc are part of a conservation effort to protect them and their habitat.
- Conservation of Asian Elephants: http://www.elephantnaturepark.org/elephantconservation.htm
- The plight of Asian Elephants: http://www.conservation.org/learn/species/profiles/elephants/Pages/asian_elephants.aspx
- Jumbo express!: http://www.elephantnaturepark.org/elephantprojects/mobile.htm
- About the Mahouts: http://www.circleofasia.com/Elephants-in-Thailand-Thai-Mahouts.htm
It is important to note that the term “Mahout” is used as a very general term. It means “elephant keeper”. In this article, it does not focus on the mahouts in ENP per se but discusses how it is hard to sustain on the income of a Mahout and how some of them are finding it easier to make easy money by going into the cities instead to beg with their elephants. It presents an important issue- Is mahout a dying trade? Is it possible for us to help by finding alternative sources of income for them so that they can continue being Mahouts but still make money to survive as a sideline?
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