The first ever elephant care handbook written in Lao has been published this week to improve the welfare of domesticated pachyderms throughout the country.
The Lao version of the “Elephant Care Manual for Mahouts and Camp Managers” was produced by ElefantAsia, the Lao National Animal Health Centre, and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
The manual is the first publication written in the Lao language specifically regarding Asian elephant veterinary health care and husbandry. The original version has already been used successfully in Thailand.
It is designed for mahouts (elephant handlers) and covers a broad range of topics such as how to treat common diseases, administer primary medical care, the registration process, transportation and control of elephants, shelter, food and the life cycle of Asian elephants.
The handbook will be distributed for free by the Mobile Elephant Care Unit during the elephant registration process, and will be included in the Mahout Elephant First Aid Kit.
The Elephant Care Manual will be given to all mahouts and elephant owners, and aims to benefit all of the 560 domesticated elephants working in Laos.
In order to raise awareness amongst the general public, additional copies will be issued to schools, communities and tourist camps working with domesticated elephants.
Manuals will be donated to national, provincial and district libraries as well as to the Department of Livestock and Fisheries and other relevant government departments.
Veterinarians from the Mobile Elephant Care Unit will provide information to the mahout community on how to use the manual and medical record. The manual was published in cooperation with FAO and the Forest Industry Organisation of Thailand, with funding from the Fonds Français pour l'Environnement Mondial, Fondation 30 Millions d'Amis, and the Rainforest Café.
ElefantAsia is a non-profit organisation dedicated to the conservation and protection of the Asian elephant in Laos. Its work focuses on elephant veterinary care, educational and environmental awareness, and economic viability for mahouts.
