Project
Title: Combating the Illegal Trade in Live Elephants in SE Asia
Rattle the Cage Productions
Tim Gorski
- Rattle the Cage Productions Director
Goal:
To combat the illegal trade of Asian Elephants in Thailand
Introduction:
The Asian Elephants, Elephas maximus is the largest of the terrestrial
mammals in Southeast Asia and is facing extinction. It is hunted relentlessly
for its ivory and captured live for use in logging and agriculture, and,
increasingly, for use in the tourism industry, by elephant trekking companies.
Although
this species is totally protected from international commercial trade,
as it is listed on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade
in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), elephants continue
to be captured in Myanmar and smuggled across the border into Thailand.
Some of Myanmar’s domestic elephants, used in the logging industry,
are also smuggled into Thailand for the ever growing trekking industry.
Some of the
elephants in the trekking industry may also be former logging elephants
from Thai companies as well, as logging has been banned in Thailand, leaving
many elephants ‘unemployed’. However, from preliminary observations
made in late 2007 and early 2008, most of the elephants being purchased
by the trekking companies appear to be young, often still calves, indicating
that these are not of the former logging animals.
Insufficient
information and data about the trade in live elephants in both Myanmar
and Thailand is a problem when trying to realize the extent of the trade
and the impact it has on the wild populations. Intensive investigations
of trade routes, trade dynamics and specific dealers are urgently required
for future action to reduce the pressure of illegal trade on the survival
of the species in the wild.
Furthermore,
awareness, especially among enforcement agencies charged with protecting
wild elephants in Myanmar and Thailand, as well as within the general
public/tourists visiting the trekking companies is severely lacking.
Objectives:
1. To document the extent of the trade of live elephants in Thailand and
Myanmar;
2. To raise awareness, concern and knowledge of the trade and conservation
status of Thailand and Myanmar’s elephants amongst relevant regulatory
agencies;
3. To raise awareness and concern amongst the public, especially tourists
visiting these countries, and conservation bodies in Thailand;
4. To assist enforcement agencies in combating the illegal trade of live
elephants in Thailand and Myanmar, working with the ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement
Network;
5. To work with the trekking companies to raise the level of corporate
responsibility and ensure they acquire elephants from legal sources and
adhere to legislation in Thailand and that they play a role in elephant
conservation.
Activities:
1. Complete field surveys and gather information from individuals involved
in the capture and trade of live elephants, mahouts, trekking companies,
government enforcement agencies and other relevant bodies in Myanmar and
Thailand;
2. Compile an inventory of trekking companies and the numbers of elephants
held in each in Thailand;
3. Compile information on illegal dealers and provide this to enforcement
authorities to catalyse seizures and disruptions in the illegal trade
chain;
4. Publish relevant findings in order to increase knowledge and understanding
of the conservation status and illegal trade dynamics and to provide solid
justification for increased law enforcement efforts, focusing on hunters
and traders dealing in live elephants;
5. Produce a documentary of the trade in live elephants and the conservation
needs of Asia’s elephants in general;
6. Develop and implement a campaign (with relevant partners as appropriate)
to raise public awareness in English and Thai to increase concern and
awareness of elephant conservation;
Project
Outputs:
A thorough documentation of the trade in live elephants in Thailand and
Myanmar will be produced from this project. This documentation will serve
as a tool for the enforcement agencies as it will outline the dynamics
of the trade, necessary in eliminating it. This document will also further
the knowledge of the situation for conservation organisations. It is hoped
that this will also increase concern among the relevant government bodies
as well as among international bodies, thus increasing action to save
Asian Elephants.
A confidential
intelligence report containing all sensitive information of the trade
encountered during this study will provided to the relevant enforcement
agencies for action.
A campaign,
including a documentary, will be developed and carried out in order to
raise the profile of this serious conservation issue, and to build national
and international awareness, concern and participation with regards to
the conservation of Asian Elephants.
Timeframe
Thailand
– 4 months
Myanmar – 4 months
Post Production – 3 months
Budget
Investigations
$48,000
Documentary Production $435,000
Education Materials and Distribution $ 60,000
Rattle
the Cage productions
1126 S. Federal Hwy. #288
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315
Tel: 954-673-5331
FL 501c3 not-for-profit
FEI: 421563897
Email:
info@rattlethecage.org
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