Animal Diaries Archive

Cambodian Elephant Update

23 May 2008

G’day to all our regular readers and a big hello to all our new ones, welcome to Elephant diaries. This episode is an update on our Wildlife Warriors Worldwide elephant project in Cambodia.

For those that didn’t know, Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors Worldwide (AZWWW) has been involved in Cambodia since 2004. Working side by side with Flora and Fauna International (FFI) to protect the Cambodian Elephants, who’s numbers are critically low at 400, due to habitat loss, poaching and Human Elephant Conflict (HEC).

Our mission in Cambodia is to stop habitat loss, educate villagers, farmers and all local communities the importance of Elephants in their habitat. Cambodia has the largest section of un-broken rainforest in the region left; the main reason why it is so important to save the Elephants in this area. And along with our Sumatran Projects it will also be the last frontier for saving wild Asian Elephants from Extinction.

So through education and providing locals with the appropriate tools and strategies to minimise and deal with human and elephant conflict when it occurs, we will be able to make a huge difference. To give you an idea how successful the project has been; when FFI started back in 2000, the average elephant death each year through HEC was 30. Last year (2007) was the first time that not one Elephant death through conflict had been recorded. WOOO – HOO! We are thrilled with this result, but there is still a long way to go. The gestation period for an Elephant is 22 months, almost two years to give birth to one young. Each new life is critical to their survival.

You can now see the importance of what we do and how successful we have been. I would like to also thank everyone who has contributed to our elephant fund whether it was by donation at Australia Zoo or directly through the Wildlife Warriors Worldwide.

If you would like to join the AZWWW and start making a world of difference, check out www.wildlifewarrios.org.au.