Local wild elephants making the news (for all the right reasons!)
...though not so local this time, some good news comes from Dr. Klaus Schwettmann's Human Elephant Conflict Reduction project in central Laos - his tourist tower at Ban Na has been operating for a while and providing a sustainable income for local villagers but the eles seem to have been ghosts in the night until he was moved to write the following e-mail...
Dear Friends of Lao Elephants, Dear All!
The Elephant Observation Tower at Ban Na has been inaugurated in April 2005. But only now, finally, I got hold of the first pictures taken by German tourists from the tower last week (according to them their "greatest experience they had" on their 7 month trip by motorbike through Asia) . After so many attempts with many cameras involved - but in vein, just allow me to share my joy with you.
According to the visitors, there were at least five elephants (one very small one; just two days ago there were 11). The three on the picture didn't bother the flash lights. Probably there are already more picture out there, but no one gave me a copy - until now. That's the real thing. Finally, no stuffed elephants have to be considered anymore...
You may notice the dark stain on the ground. It is apparently some salt, the use of which I want to have strictly restricted, particularly not for luring the elephants to the tower. I wrote an information sheet already and informed Ban Na and a tour company that feeding the elephants with whatsoever is not just the best idea. I think you agree.
Best regards,
Klaus
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Dr. Klaus Schwettmann
German Development Service (DED)
c/o Lao National Tourism Administration
Lane Xang Avenue, Vientiane, Laos
P.O.Box 2455
Tel: (+856-20) 550 90 86
E-mail: kschwett@laopdr.com
Web: www.trekkingcentrallaos.com
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Dr. Klaus Schwettmann
German Development Service (DED)
c/o Lao National Tourism Administration
Lane Xang Avenue, Vientiane, Laos
P.O.Box 2455
Tel: (+856-20) 550 90 86
E-mail: kschwett@laopdr.com
Web: www.trekkingcentrallaos.com
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