India is an important range country of the Asian elephants ( Elephas maximus ) which still have a sizeable wild and captive population. Given the background of the species facing great threat to its survival worldwide, particularly in its range countries, this population is important on the standpoint of overall conservation of the magnificent animal. In northeastern part of the country, particularly in the province of Assam , a good wild population of above 5000 animals roam in the wilderness and most importantly, a captive population of about 1500 elephant are still living in captivity side by side.
Eighty percent of these captive elephants are in the hands of the private owners which were used extensively in logging duty till the Supreme Court of India clamped a ban on all kinds of commercial logging activities in the region in 1996. With loss of engagements, lack of government support, the elephant owners have been facing great difficulties in maintaining these elephants; since they stopped earning and instead became unendurable burdens. Though, the wealth of natural vegetations of the area save them from starving, the elephants are being deprived of even the basic healthcare support and are suffering a lot due to multiple ailments and several casualties are also taking place. The Dolphin Foundation has been putting utmost efforts to offer medical helps like organizing zonal preemptive health camps, besides attending individual or group health needs of these elephants on a part time basis. The program has been covering about 300 elephants every year in different parts of North-east India under the project which received funding from “Elephant Sanctuary, USA ”. A MOBILE ELEPHANT HEALTHCARE UNIT has been put in to service for last three years to offer effective and timely healthcare facility to these 300 odd captive elephants.
To know more about this program or to report about an elephant in distress please write to : info@dolphinasia.org