Save and Rescue an Asian Elephant Today

Dear Supporters,

With the end of 2019 approaching, it is not just the end of the year or the decade that is of significance to us at this time. We are deeply saddened by the recent passing of our oldest GVI Trust elephant, Khum Suk, at the age of 70. This was a shock to us all, but we are comforted by the fact that she died peacefully in her sleep in the forest. She was suffering from no health issues prior to her death and was approaching the average life expectancy for Asian Elephants. Fortunately, she has been able to spend her last few years in her natural habitat with her family. She leaves behind daughter, Kah Moon, and granddaughters, Lulu and Lah Lah. Her mahout, Wynn, is obviously devastated, having learned so much from her as a young mahout. The bond between mahout and elephant is more evident to all of us now, more than ever. 

We were fortunate and privileged to be invited by the villagers of Huay Pakoot to attend Khum Suk’s funeral, as she was buried in the forest. This was our chance to say goodbye, and we are grateful to the village for allowing us to do so. This also showed us once again how strong the relationship between the Karen people and elephants is, as Khum Suk was mourned just as any human family member would be. 

This is the first elephant death in the village, aside from the death of Kah Moon’s calf, Wan Mai, (who passed away from the elephant herpes virus) in living memory for many of the villagers. The elephant’s longevity is impressive and allows for long-lasting relationships with humans. All of the villagers that attended her funeral had been a mahout for Khum Suk at some time in the past or had some relationship with her. By being in their natural habitat, Asian Elephants stand a much greater chance of living long lives they naturally would when not in captivity. With the passing of Khum Suk, we are more determined than ever to ensure that the elephants she leaves behind continue to live their lives in the forest, where they belong.

We would also like to thank everyone who has fundraised to keep Khum Suk in the forest over the years, as without you, she would not have been able to enjoy her retirement as she deserved to. 

It is still too early for us to know how this will affect the small herd Khum Suk was matriarch of. We will be keeping a close eye on Sah Jah, Kah Moon and Lah Lah to see if there is anything we can do to help them through their expected period of mourning. Mourning behaviour has been observed previously when Kah Moon’s calf, Wan Mai, passed away, so our data collection will be integral to us monitoring them. While this is a sad occasion for us all, we are reassured by the belief that Khum Suk’s legacy will live on through her descendants. 

Our recent fundraising activity has focused primarily on ensuring the newest addition to Khum Suk’s family, baby Lah Lah, can spend her life in the forest and hopefully never know of life in captivity. We recently did a marathon three-day litter pick in the local district to not only do this, but to also clean up the area that elephants like Lah Lah spend their days. Our original target was to pick up 200kg of litter, but we far surpassed that initial goal and over the three days picked up a whopping 738.2kg (1,627lbs)! 

We are proud of our success but it also brings home the shocking reality of how much litter we all produce. Our efforts also did not go unnoticed! Our litter-picking activity went viral in regional news within Thailand. In addition, we also received a thank-you from the district governor and will be receiving certificates in recognition of our efforts. Raising environmental awareness was hoped to be one of the benefits of this fundraiser, but this positive press was more than we could have imagined. Everyone’s positive attitude and diligence made for a highly successful event. Thank you to everyone who donated and/or participated from home.

In other news, we also delighted to announce that we are now joined by our newest local scholar, Boh Duh. Boh Duh joins us on the National Scholarship Program (NSP), following in the footsteps of Community Liaison, Su. Boh Duh brings with her an impressive level of English and has developed a close relationship with many of us already. She now supports Su in her work, and will be a great help moving forward. It is also a real positive for us to have another female member of the local community have the opportunity to develop their skills and language capability by working with us. It further solidifies the importance of the NSP, which is supported by your donations to the GVI Trust.

As we move into a new decade, it is important to remember that, with every end, there is a beginning. The birth of Khum Suk’s granddaughter, Lah Lah earlier this year is proof of that. We will all miss Khum Suk hugely, but we are excited for what the future 2020s decade will bring. With your help, we know that we can achieve even more.

With Gratitude,

GVI Chiang Mai

Dear Supporters,

In a year that has seemed to pass by with increasing speed, we are once again saying goodbye to the rainy season and preparing ourselves for the heat of the dry season. In saying that, the weather continues to be quite volatile, with us experiencing downpours and roasting sunshine in unpredictable measure. This has also meant that our hikes to see the elephants can have us wading through mud one day and searching for a shady shield the next. Our GVI Trust elephants, Khum Suk, Sah Jah and Lulu have all begun to move to new areas, as part of the seasonal transition. Lulu continues to stay close to herdmate Dee Dee, both of whom are still a fair distance from the village of Huay Pakoot. Khum Suk, Sah Jah, Kah Moon and little Lah Lah have now moved much closer and are now within walking distance. Talking of Lah Lah...

Lah Lah, born in May of this year to experienced mother Kah Moon has captured the hearts of everyone who has gone to see her. Khum Suk and Sah Jah are also doing their fair share to look after the newborn and their herd mentality has never been so evident. Lah Lah is growing rapidly and we have to be extra careful when we go to see her or her mother as she is both fast and adventurous! Kah Moon is obviously very protective, so we always ensure to keep the number of people going to see them at any one time lower than is normal and we try to keep a good distance away so as not to disturb them. Kah Moon has begun to teach her curious daughter the ways of the elephant and it is a privilege for us all to see Lah Lah grow up in the habitat that she belongs in. She will not master the use of her trunk for several years, but she is constantly using it to poke at interesting plant-life in the forest. On one recent hike, she accompanied her mother to an area to drink, and as she cannot use her trunk yet, she simply dunked her whole head into the water, resurfacing completely covered in mud! 

We have also begun to take data on Lah Lah, so we can see how her behaviour changes as she matures. It is especially interesting for us to witness the behaviour of an elephant that has never had to endure the tourist camp experience. Due to the differences in how a young elephant behaves, we have had to update our ethograms so as to encompass her unique behaviours. 

Finally, we can now confirm that Lah Lah will also be supported by the GVI Trust, now bringing the total number of elephants that your donations help to keep in the forest to four! Of course, this means we now have the challenge of continuing to raise the money required to accomplish this.

In July of this year, we embarked on what is now becoming an annual fundraising challenge to walk the 57km to the nearby town of Mae Chaem. Over thirty volunteers, interns and staff hiked over the course of two days, up and down steep climbs. On the first day, we walked over 20km in unseasonably intense heat that made the journey all the more challenging. We then camped overnight, before setting off early the next morning. While the second day was cooler, it was a longer distance and was a real test of endurance for all. To everyone’s credit, the walk was completed at an unbelievable pace and regardless of whether people walked the whole distance or some of it, it was an achievement that everyone could be justly proud. Moreover, thanks to all of you, we raised over £2,000! 

With the knowledge that we now also are fundraising for baby Lah Lah, we are currently busy planning a number of activities to take place in the remainder of the year. Stay tuned for some exciting challenges and to see how you can not only get involved but even potentially participate from back home!

Let’s do this!

Of course, it is not just the elephants that your money goes towards. Community Liaison Su has continued to be an integral part of our project. Her sense of humour, cheekiness and smile have endeared her to everyone. Moreover, her willingness to learn is evident, and she is currently being taught EFR (Emergency First Response) so that she may one day be able to gain the qualification. This will be an extremely useful skill for her! We are also delighted to announce that Su will be staying with us for the foreseeable future and she will be getting even more involved in the project than before. In addition to her work to organise village activities, she continues to teach Pakinyaw on a regular basis and also helps to translate when we go to hear old stories of the village from members of the community. Her help at the school has been invaluable, and she is now beginning to take part in our lesson planning sessions, as well! 

Time may be flying for us all at the moment, but it is at times like these that we should take a moment to appreciate recent achievements. Of course, there is still much more that we can work towards, and with your help, we know that together we can continue to reach even greater heights.

Once again thank you for all your support!!!

GVI Chiang Mai