Chain Free Means Pain Free The Lambodhar Prasad Project; Free … · 2017. 1. 8. · Elephant Aid...
2
Elephant Aid International - P.O. Box 106 – Hohenwald, TN 38462 - 931-796-1466 www.ElephantAid.org - [email protected] Chain Free Means Pain Free The Lambodhar Prasad Project; Free Nepal's Chain Gang PROJECT REPORT December 2016 photo: Lambodhar Prasad, wild caught, held in chains for 57 years PILOT PROJECT OVERVIEW A 4-acre, customized steel pipe, double chamber enclosure that protects Lambodhar Prasad from the attacks of wild bull elephants and ensures he will remain chain free even while in musth. Filled with natural vegetation for shade and foraging, hygienic natural substrate for foot, joint and skin health, a holding pen for mahout safety, a foot trimming wall for foot and veterinary care and fresh water for drinking, bathing and playing.
Transcript of Chain Free Means Pain Free The Lambodhar Prasad Project; Free … · 2017. 1. 8. · Elephant Aid...
ElephantAidInternational-P.O.Box106–Hohenwald,TN38462-931-796-1466
ChainFreeMeansPainFreeTheLambodharPrasadProject;FreeNepal'sChainGang
PROJECTREPORTDecember2016
photo:LambodharPrasad,wildcaught,heldinchainsfor57years
PILOTPROJECTOVERVIEW
A4-acre,customizedsteelpipe,doublechamberenclosurethatprotectsLambodharPrasadfromtheattacksofwildbullelephantsandensureshewillremainchainfreeevenwhileinmusth.Filledwithnaturalvegetationforshadeandforaging,hygienicnaturalsubstrateforfoot,jointandskinhealth,aholdingpenformahoutsafety,afoottrimmingwallforfootandveterinarycareandfreshwaterfordrinking,bathingandplaying.
ElephantAidInternational-P.O.Box106–Hohenwald,TN38462-931-796-1466
PROGRESS
May2015:NegotiationsbetweenElephantAidInternational(EAI),USAandtheNepalDepartmentofNationalParksandWildlifeConservation(DNPWC),Nepalbegan,tocreateanalternativetochainingcaptive-heldbullelephants.
Negotiationscontinuedduringtheconstructionandcompletionof54solarpoweredchainfreecorralsforallfemaleelephantsheldbyDNPWC.Thesolarpoweredcorralsweredesigned,underwrittenandinstalledbyEAIandhaveproventobeaneffectivealternativetochainingfemaleelephants.Specificallydesignedforwildlife,thecorraladministersamildnonlethalshockuponcontact.Unfortunately,thesameapplicationcannotbeusedforbullelephantsastheirivorydoesnotconductelectricity.
September2015:Mr.PhidindraRajKharel,DNPWCDirectorGeneralgrantedKamalKunwar,ChiefWardenofChitwanNationalPark(CNP)permissiontocollaboratewithEAItopursuetheproject.
December2015:RepresentativesfromEAI,DNPWC,WorldWildlifeFund,TheZoologicalSocietyofLondon,NationalTrustforNatureConservation-NepalandtheNepalArmymetinKathmandu,Nepal,todiscusstheproject.
February2016:SeveralperspectivelocationsinChitwanNationalPark(CNP)wereidentifiedandscoutedfortheproject.
April2016:Dr.KumalGairhe,DNPWCHeadVeterinarian,formallyagreedtoparticipateasanconsultantforlocationidentification,designandelephantmanagementfortheproject.
May2016:theDNPWCissuedalistofacceptableMoUcandidatesforEAItopartnerwith.
June2016:EAIenteredintonegotiationswithCNPBufferZoneCommittee(BZC)fortheMoUwhichisrequiredbeforeproceedingwiththeproject.
September2016:DuetocivilunresttheMoUthatwasscheduledtobesignedbetweenEAIandBZCinKathmandu,Nepalwasputonhold.AllDepartmentofNationalParksandWildlifeConservations(DNPWC)projectswereputonholduntilthegovernmentisstableagain.
October2016:Electionswereheld.Anewpoliticalpartyisinpower.Appointmentstoalldepartmentsareunderway.
November2016:TheDirectorGeneralofDNPWCwasappointed.EAI'slocalrepresentativeisindiscussionswithnewDGtoschedulethesigningoftherequiredMoU.WiththeDG'sauthorizationthelocationwillbedeterminedandmaterialsandengineerwillbeimmediatelysourced.
March2017:Constructionslatedtobegin
