Airavata Elephant Foundation

Airavata is a nonprofit organisation protecting the last captive Asian elephants in Ratanakiri Province in Cambodia, as well as protecting up to 500 hectares of the Katieng forest along the river close to the Katieng Waterfalls 10 Kilometer west from the Ratanakiri capitol, Banlung.

Airavata
FoundedAugust 2016
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
FounderPierre Yves Clais
Chenda Clais
TypeNon-profit Organisation
FocusAsian elephant conservation
Location
MethodProtection of forest, Environmental Education, Ecotourism
Key people
Dan Koehl, elephant trainer and advisory expert consultant [1]
Websitewww.airavata-cambodia.com
The Elephant Bak Mai at Airavata
The Elephant Ikea at Airavata
Chief mahout Mr Bonruen at Airavata by constructing a roof for a ceremonial building

Captive elephants in Cambodia

Wars, and the time during Cambodia was ruled by the Khmer Rouge reduced the population of Cambodias elephants, both in the wild as well as in captivity. Cambodia is presently home to less than 100 captive Asian elephants, most of them being cared for by private owners in Mondulkiri Province.

Airavata elephants

Presently, Airavata Foundation owns three elephants, two bulls; Bokva, Kamsen and one female, Ikea, which are the last three captive elephants in the Ratanakiri Province. All three of the elephants are from the community forest. Airavatas elephants has since April 2019 been trained and the mahout staff coached, by Swedish elephant trainer and consultant Dan Koehl .[2][3] [4]

Bakmai´s second chance

The elephant bull Bak Mai, killed its previous 55-year old mahout and owner in Mondulkiri during September 2016, and problems arise regarding Bakmais future, since no one wants a killer elephant, thinking he will kill again. In this moment Airavata stepped in, to buy the 32-year-old bull and take care of it. Bakmai was then rehabilitated and integrated with Airavatas other elephants, [5] [1] but unfortunately died in May 2020, under mysterious circumstances, including unusual diarrhoea when he was taken in the morning to the nearby river for drinking. He collapsed and could not get up, and died, still lying on the side, apr 16 hours later. Among the four Airavata elephants, Bak Maï was the youngest male [6] [7]

Activities

Concentrating on the surviving captive population of Asian elephants in Cambodia, the foundation, recently set under the high patronage of King Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia, offer guests a number of eco-friendly activities in Katieng forest, including trekking, elephant riding and educational programme.

References
  1. "The foundation aiming to preserve the Kingdom's elephant heritage". Phnom Penh Post.
  2. "Un Cambodge sans éléphants ? – Airavata Cambodia".
  3. Rethea, Pann. "The foundation aiming to preserve the Kingdom's elephant heritage | Phnom Penh Post". www.phnompenhpost.com.
  4. [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dankoehl/ LinkedIn: Dan Koehl
  5. "Killer Elephant Finds Home at Foundation". The Cambodia daily.
  6. The elephant Bak Mai as database record in the Elephant Encyclopedia by Dan Koehl
  7. Domesticated elephant dies in Ratanakiri sanctuary
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