Princeton University in USA. Dr Sukumar of Wildlife Conservation and Director of the would be away from August 1991 to April Zoological Garden. In , he is in- 1992 during which time be would concen- volved in establishing the Night Safari Park trate on analysing the data from the 50-ha at the Zoo which will provide not only great plot where he and his co-workers are study- recreation to the urban people in Singapore ing the dynamics of the entire plant and but will also facilitate the breeding of many animal communities over a long period endangered species in semi-natural condi- of time. tions. This is the way all Zoos should develop - away from cages and towards Mr. J.C. DANIEL who was the first Chair- creating a much saner environment for the man of the Asian Elephant Specialist Group animals in captivity. and has been a powerful influence in the Mr WIDODO development and progress of the AESG. SUKOHADI RAMONO from Indonesia He is the Curator of the Bombay Natural is now the Chief of Species History Society. He plans to retire early this Conservation at the Directorate-General of year and devote much of his time to over- Forest Protection and Nature Conservation. seeing and devloping the BNHS Elephant Elephant conservation in Sumatra owes Programmes in India. The AESG takes this much to the efforts of Mr Widodo under opportunity to wish Mr Daniel every success whose management the successful elephant in his new assigment. translocations were carried out in Sumatra. It was Mr Widodo who revived the art of elephant training and domestication in Mr. Lyn de Alwis, Chairman of AESG Sumatra since it disappeared with the demise continues to act as consultant to the Singa- of the power and influence of the Sultans pore Zoological Gardens after his retirement and the arrival of the Dutch Colonial.Po- in Sri Lanka as Director of the Department wers.

SINGAPORE,S BRUSH WITH WILD ELEPHANTS

Pulau Tekong is one of Singapore's off shore south-east, these breezes brought good news. islands only a stone's throw from the Southern Yielding to temptation, three adventurous beaches of Malaysia's Johore state. lt is approxi- young tuskers, decided to brave the sea one mately 7 km long and 4 km wide. lt is a 20- moonless night in May and seek the greener minute launch ride from a srnall jetty on Singa- pasture beckoning them. pore's east coast fishing village of . lmagine their delight at what they saw as Once a fishing village itself, the island is today they padded across the opposite beach: healthy the property of the . young coconut palms and succulent banana The luxuriant natural vegetation laced with trees, gourmet items in an elephant's diet. groves of durian and jak and several tracts of They tore the trees apart, feeding greedily and coconut, rubber and oil palm, seem to help the wastefully. Picking a frond or two from one soldiers forget the rigours of their exacting tree, they felled the next. They demolished duties. To the rest of Singapore, is a few hectares in that first frenzied onslaught. a deserted island best left alone. To all intents and purposes, they had arrived But the cool breezes from Tekong also reach in paradise. But in the morning they were the coast of Johore. To a herd of harassed ele- roused by that horrible human scent in the air phants cornered in a dwindling forest on the followed by those dread voices. "We had better be careful" thought the elephants and began, It was obvious that the elephanS had come with a little jungle humour, their game of hide from Malaysia, so we should first consult the and seek with the Army. wildlife authorities there. Fortunately the Zoo and the Malaysian Wildlife authorities maintain Soon the ever vigilant soldiers knew some- excellent relations and share their knowledge thing was wrong. How did coconut trees get to mutual benefit. uprooted and oil palms lose their crowns when there was neither wind nor rain? And what When apprised of the strange goings-on on was causing these round 'craters' in the soft Tekong, the Director-General was slightly mud? An enemy invasion? No. Enemies don't amused at first but then said "Those are our start by pushing down coconut palms. Because elephants from Johore, but now that they are of the sheer improbability, no one dared suggest on Singapore soil, they are yours. lf you like, it could be the work of elephants. And even our elephant Capture and Translocation team later when a night patrol claimed they had can get them out of the island for you". What seen three elephants streak across their head- a wonderful response, what a relief? | felt a lighs they were, at first, laughed off. "Elephants thrill, too, for this is the kind of sharing of on Tekong? |mpossible". knowledge and expertise which the Asian Elephant Specialists Group (AESG) of IUCN But no. Two days later someone picked up strives to achieve. the tell-tale droppings, the size of honey-dew melons. At the Zoo the "productions" were The Director General of Wildlife Mr. Moha- identified as elephant dung! med Khan is a member of AESG and so is Mr. Sharif Daim head of the special team. The The news created a sensation. The media operation was in safe hands. The two govern- consumed it with relish. Many ments readily agreed, so why wait? Mr. Ber- received a nasty jolt. Some still didn't believe nard Harrison Executive Director of the Zoo it, dismissing it with an "elephants can't swim" was the perfect Co.ordinator and lost no time tone of finality. Others didn't comprehend, in putting the act together. This was Friday, thinking that what the Press was trying to say Sharif will be in Singapore on Sunday to plan was that the Zoo had taken three of their the capture and translocation. Nostalgia gripped elephants to Tekong. Well meaning but some- me as I recalled our own Deduru Oya operation what emotional "Conservationists" suggested some 10 years ago. letting them remain on the island. Everything was falling into place nicely. But the Armed Forces reacted with custo- I was touched by the concern being shown for mary pragmatism, speed and efficiency. The the safety of the elephants. Army exercises problem had to be tackled before a confron- on the island were suspended.and firing practice tation developed. No army in the world have had virtually ceased. In true military fashion the hardihood to take on rampaging wild ele- an Operations Room had been organized and, phants, least of all "ship-wrecked" ones on a on a large map, daily patrols pinned the sites small island. So they quite naturally and rightly of elephant activity. But the elephants remained turned to the Zoo for help. quite invisible. Not once did the seventeen or eighteen search parties hear so much as a branch Although not geared to capture, domesti- snap. So the trackers will have to rely entirely cate or translocate full grown wild elephants, on fresh foot prints, droppings and hopefully, the Zoo was aware of the part it had to play. broken branches to follow their trail. We all felt we had a responsibility by these displaced animals from a humane as well as Shariff's plan was to send out his capture conservation point of view. These are endanger- team first. This consisted of 2 wiry men with ed animals and must be quickly returned to the flashing eyes backed by a burly marksman in wild. Army fatigues carrying a formidable 458 rifle;

6 next came . Oho,orrupher with a sophisticated. could keep the elephants in this strip until the video camera. Bringing up the rcar were 2 darts were 'fired', we would have the operation officers blessed with the quick reflexes needed sewn up. We posted staff at two points 800 m to 'fire' the 2 Cap-chur guns and then get out apart where the elephants might make a break of the way of the enraged recipients. Each had for the dense jungle. his own walkie-talkie tuned in for instructions from Sharif and Dr. Zainal the Veterinarian It was now just 8.45 a.m. Sap was still who would have to administer certain drugs oozing from the banana trees so it awas unlikely after the elephants were immobilized. the elephants had strayed far. And then, as we paced the road waiting for news from the trac- At 7.30 a.m. on Wednesday 6th June 1990, kers, we heard the unmistakable crash of a we set off in convoy after a breakfast which we coconut tree. We scampered in that direction hoped would last the whole day. We still had no and for the first time, caught a glimpse of one idea where the elephants would be for even a of the elephants. search which lasted until midnight the previous day, drew the twentieth blank. All we knew Quickly regrouping, the capture team went from the foot print measurements we had taken, in hot pursuit at 9 a.m. The elephants stamped- was that we were in pursuit of three adult wild ed and my heart sank as I saw them trying to elephants at least two of them over 8' at the break cover near one of the sentries. Miracu- shoulder. lously, at that very moment, a truck, quite obli- vious of what was going on, came chugging along But we were all optimists, so much so that a dirt track right into the path of the fleeing before we left Camp, Shariff instructed his giants. For our good luck the bewildered driver translocation team in Pahang (150 km away) sped oh, fast enough to spin the panicking to start moving and be at the Johore causeway elephants round and momentarily halt their by evening! For a government department headlong rush. that had entered the "translocation game" Again we had a stroke of luck; for the con- fess than fifteen years ago, this was amazing f used elephants had to cross a storm-water organ ization and preparedness. drain to get back to the coc6nut grove. The 2 men with their cap-chur guns were quick to spot To enter the dense forest into which we sus- this and lay in wait. Someone warned over the pected the elephants would have by now with- walkie-talkie that there were 3 massive tuskers. drawn, we had to traverse five miles of the had hardly finished speaking when the ele- 3O-foot wide main road running along the east fle phants broke cover and plunged into the drain, coast of Tekong. We had hardly done 3 of this giving the marksmen the ideal 'shot'on the macadamised road with manicured grassy ridges flank. Both guns delivered simultaneously. The on either side, when, lo and behold, we spotted 'hurricane' continued in the scrub for a minute a mutilated clump of banana trees on the right or two, and their there was silence. hand side. All the vehicles disgorged their contents The tracking resumed. This time the 458 simultaneously into an excited, scurrying mob. was in the forefront. But after 1 5 minutes But Shariff took control and with the practised there was still no sign of fallen or of moving skill of some 200 such operations, gave his elephants. Suddenly the Army radio crackled. instructions in a crisp clear voice. "Kamaruddin, The agitated southern sentry announced that laffar take the cap-chur guns, "Prepare for the the elephants crossed the road 50 metres behind two big ones first". "Zul and Suvi, take the him. rifles;Zaind, you come with me". An excited Shariff looked at his watch as. Between the road and the sea was hardly we resumed the search on the opposite side of 100 metres of scrub forest and coconut. lf we the road. But he was quite sure the darts went home and with them the required dose of the The men worked fast and expertly to beat lmmobilon "cocktail". How right he was for 2 the clock for within an hour the elephants minutes later we were staring down at two mas- should be ready for the antidote. Shariff and sive elephants fast "asleep". This was signifi- Zainal jotted down all the vital statistics. Every- cant for both received the drug at the same time one remarked on how healthy and clean the and here they were lying side by side. animals were. No wounds, no ectoparasites. By 1 0.20 a.m. both elephants were up and feeding Even as we were whooping with joy, Shariff but not yet in the mood to charge at us standing called out urgently "Come everybody, we have just 10 feet away. What of the third elephant? to turn this animal on its side". One of the "We'll tackle him in the afternoon" someone elephants was lying on his chest, a position sai d. which causes asphyxiation in a short time. With 20 of us to help, the elephant was quickly on The Army personnel were overjoyed and its side and snoring loudly. showered praise for a job done so well and with

One of the bull elephonts after it hod been tranquilized by the Moloysion Team led by Shoriff Doim (AESG Member) with the help of the Singapore Armed Forces. Mr de Alwis (right of the elephant) oversees the operation. (Photo credit: Lyn de Alwis).

There were no trees to secure the elephants such confidence and skill. But we were far from to, so Shariff decided to shackle the forelegs finished, because the equally challenging task of with high tensile chains and tie the hind lep to getting the elephants out without mishap was the only saplings available more to anchor than yet ahead. to restrain them. He explained that he had evolved this technique as he had heard of the To claim that a translocation is a success dreadful consequences of trying to drag the it has to be done quickly and wtih least stress captives usi ng bulldozers. Besides, the gruesome to the animals. And the animals' new destina- cuts on hind legs from strai ning on chai ns or tion should have sufficient food and water and rooes are also avoided. protection to give them a chance to start a new life. The Wildlife Department had thought of elephants and trucks to and fro. Without this all this before they came to Tekong. logistical support the operation may have taken weeks to complete. The most important participants in the translocation process are two tame elephants The whole convoy of elephants, trucks, acting as monitors, and their mahouts who are jeeps and men from Malaysia arrived at the well trained to reassure.the new captive that Johore causeway in the early hours of Saturday things are not as bad as they appear and would morning. Bernard had done the needful and the he kindly co-operate by getting into the trans- Customs, lmmigration and Health authorities port provided. The transport consists of two realized this was one border crossing that need- solidly built trucks. Each truck has 10 wheels ed neither pen nor paper. The traffic police took for obvious reasons. The all-metal body is open over from there and the elephants were driven to the sky and can also be angled to suit the along the smooth and colourful Bukit Timah ramp built to load the elephant. Expressway like State guests.

Koonkie elephonts on either side of the wild tusker on its way back to Maloysia from Singopore. (Photo credit: Lyn de Alwis).

But to get all this on to an island in the mid- Col. Wee and Major Samad took over at dle of the sea is quite a different proposition Changi and Tekong and 30 minutes later the to a comparatively straight forward exercise on monitors were being led to the three captives. land. But the Malaysians are expert in this, too, "Where do you want the ramp, Shariff?" asked having had to translocate whole herds of ele- the Major. A bulldozer and back hoe were con- phants stranded on islands in the middle of mas- jured out of the tall grass and the job was done. sive fresh water reservoirs. But what was re- markable was the 's ability to The tuskers, stubborn at first, yielded to provide suitable sea-going craf t that could take pressure from the monitors at their side and itarted down the road leading to the ramp. Try- nalism of all concerned. lt all stemmed from ing to salvage a little pride, so to speak, they the common and noble intent of both Singa- would stand their ground until coaxed with a poreans and Malaysians to ensure that the ele- coconut branch. phants were given a new home and a new lease of life. lt was an operation worthy of emulation 'Four hours later they were on their way by other countries in Asia which have to rely home standing regally, tusks gleaming in the on capture and translocation to save the lives evening light. of animals driven to despair by our thought les- sness. That this entire operation was performed with speed, confidence and without fuss or fan-fare was a tribute to the team-work and professio- (Lyn de Alwis)

A preliminary report on the WORKSHOP ON CENSUSING ELEPHANTS IN FORESTS

organized by the Asian Elephant Conservation Centre (AECC) and held at the Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary Tamil Nadu, South India and Centre for Ecological Sciences Indian Institute of Science Bangalore 560 01 2, lndia 2-10 )anuary 1991

The Workshop on Censusing Elephants in Dr R. Sukumar, the Co-ordinator of the Forests was made possible by the financial as- AECC and Deputy Chairman of Asian Elephant sistance provided by the WWF International and Specialist Group (AESG) opened the meeting the lnternational Union of Biological Sciences with few words of welcome and explained the (IUBS). The AECC would like to express its Agenda for the day and the nature of the prog- thanks to these funding organizations for their ramme that followed. assistan ce. The following speakers were part of the The participants arrived in Bangalore on Faculty that provided the lectures on the first 1 January and were then transported to the day: Dr. V. Krishnamurthy, Prof. D.K. Lahiri- Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu choudhury, Mr. Ajay Desai, Dr. Charles Santia- on 2 )anuary and were housed at Rest Houses pillai, Dr. Richard Barnes, Mr. Ullas Karanth and at Teppakadu, Masinagudi and Abhyaranyam. Dr. R. Sukumar. The Workshop comnlenced the next day 3 )a- nuary and the initial ceremoney was held at Dr. V. Krishnamurthy discussed the census the Bandipur Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka techniques he and his colleagues have used State with Mr Subash Chandra (from Bandipur in the f ield before modern sophisticated Sanctuary) as the Chairman. computer-generated methods were available

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