Thailand will begin to start contraception on a small number of wild female elephants this year as the country is struggling with growing human-elephant conflict problems.
Asian elephants have been classified as endangered species since 1986. However, Thai authorities say the conservation efforts mean that the country's population is increasing at a rate of 8% each year, overwhelming the depleted forests. This has led animals to become increasingly wandering into nearby densely populated areas, causing farmland, homes and even death.
The suggestion to use birth control is controversial, with some campaigners claiming that there has not been sufficient testing to detect long-term effects on animals. Contraceptives are used in wild African elephants in South Africa.
The trial was conducted last year using the Pasvac birth control of seven tamed Thai elephants, and officials say it had no negative effects. It is administered to wild elephants by dart injections and is usually fired into larger muscles such as the hip joint and fore legs.
Dr. Spakit Vinit Ponsawan, director of the National Parks Department (DNP) Center for Supporting People Affected by Wildlife, says that birth control will be given to around 20 wild female elephants who already have calves. He said it will last for seven years.
Veterinarians will closely monitor selected elephants, Spakit said. “We need to physically check them, collect elephant blood and check their hormone levels. We want to see if the hormones are stable over seven years, but in the long run, We want to see how that affects elephants.”
The goal is not to stop elephants from breeding completely, but to suspend the breeding of some animals, and used in conjunction with other means to control human-animal conflict. He added.
Using birth control to elephants was a sensitive issue, Spakit states that not only is its status as the status of their endangered species, but also because of the cultural importance of Thailand. “Elephants are our national animals and symbols of Thailand. They are deep in our history.”
Thailand has up to 4,422 wild elephants, about half of which live in five forest areas that are increasingly crowded as the population grows. The biggest problem area is the eastern forest complex, spanning five provinces in eastern Thailand, surrounded by farmland and industry.
Throughout Thailand and Asia, humans are increasingly expanding into forested areas, fragmenting traditional elephant habitats, and often disrupt access to resources. For communities in these fields, coexistence is a sensitive and dangerous struggle. The conflict between animals and people can be financially devastating for humans and, at worst, fatal for both species.
Last year, 4,700 incidents were recorded, including elephants from the eastern forest. According to the DNP, the incident also included 594 damaged farmland, 67 cases of damaged property and 22 injuries to local people.
Taan Wannagul, a researcher at the Eastern Elephant Education Center, said that human development not only robbed elephants of traditional habitats, but also detangible resources such as water from the forest, causing elephants to sprint. Masu. At the same time, farmers' fields filled with sugar cane and other high-energy fruits encourage them to venture out for food outside the forest. “In the forest, it usually takes 22 hours to find food. They usually walk 10km until they are full. But around this farming, they fill up in an hour. All the food is immediately It's there,” Turn said.
Taan said the living conditions of forest elephants had to be improved and it had to help nearby farmers adapt. “It's unlikely that elephants will cause damage as farmers may need to reduce the size of their farmland,” he said.
Rubber farmers should be encouraged to work during the day when they are unlikely to encounter elephants, he added. This is the most time-consuming, so on cooler weather nights, trees are often tapped at night, but government compensation helps them switch work patterns.
“Animal rights and human rights should be in a balanced manner,” he said.
Contraception is one of several ways Thailand employs to prevent human-bone conflict. We also deploy a network of elephants and volunteers who are careful about the elephants, who are lost in the populated areas, build obstacles such as fences, and create safe zones for elephants who are often lost in human areas. . Compensation is provided to those whose property and farms have been damaged.
Some people argue that the land surrounding forest areas developed by humans should be reclaimed. But this will be a very challenging task in areas where the industry and community are already established, Supakit said.
The DNP is holding a hearing on the proposed use of birth control and hopes to manage it by the end of the year.
