Elephant group sets up in Bago

“We are now submitting a proposal to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Bago Region chief minister to establish Save the Elephant Foundation Myanmar. The foundation aims to combat the illegal killing of elephants living in the jungle and to save the elephants’ lives as well as to launch technical training courses with the government and private organisations,” said Khin Maung Win, chairman of Save the Elephant Foundation Myanmar.

The foundation was established in Myanmar for the first time thanks to assistance from the Save the Elephant Foundation based in Thailand.

Although the wild elephants in Bago Region are owned by the government and most privately owned elephants are subject to protection laws, mainly the foundation aims to carry out preventive measures against illegal killing of the animals across the country.

“We are going to build a hospital for the elephants after receiving permission from the relevant departments. 

“Upon completion of the hospital, we will freely provide food and shelter, as well as healthcare services, to injured and older elephants,” Khin Maung Win said.

In Bago Region, ivory cutting and illegal killing of elephants owned by the government, as well as the hunting of wild and privately owned elephants, has left a trail of rotten carcasses. 

Hunters looking for elephants are now frequenting Bago mountain ranges and forest, according to veterinary surgeon Dr Lay Win, an executive of the Save the Elephant Foundation.