Elephant Conservation
The Asian elephant is declining throughout its range and nearing extinction in the wild.
The threat of poaching, habitat loss and increasing cases of human/elephant conflict requires extensive investment into anti-poaching programs, government liaison, community education and the establishment of good practices to protect the largest land animal from extinction.
Working in partnership with Fauna and Flora International (FFI) in Cambodia, we are investing in a range of strategies to prevent the destruction of habitat and helping local villages to co-exist with the elephant. Securing the income of farmers affected by the local elephant populations is a main priority in mitigating human/elephant conflict.
Included in these strategies is the planting of chilli around crops (elephants have sensitive skin and hate chilli), helping to recover property loss as a result of elephant activity, the implementation of educational campaigns, elephant tracking, anti-poaching patrols and prevention of illegal logging. The work is extensive and intense, and is helping to build a future in which the protection of this amazing gentle giant is assured.
As well as protecting wild elephants, our work with FFI in Cambodia is having great results for the local village people, who have acted on the advice and assistance of Fauna and Flora International's Cambodian Elephant Conservation Group and are greatly increasing their crop yield and income. Since the implementation of strategies to protect crops from elephant raiding, villagers have successfully harvested around double the amount of rice as last year. The mindset of most villagers regarding crop protection, alternative crop planting and crop yield improvement has seen great progress since our involvement.
A local farmer, Nget, says, "I am happy to increase my crop yield with the support of the project. I want to explain to other farmers in the area to continue to grow 'soft crops' because it is easy and of more benefit than just cutting trees in the forest."
If you would like to help protect Asian Elephants in the wild you can make a tax-deductible donation to Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors by selecting 'Elephant Conservation Programs' on the donation form. We appreciate your support.
