Those who know me best are well aware of my elephant obsession, yes OK I admit, this may be the reason why I keep sneaking off to Asia at every opportunity! It comes as no surprise that I took an extended weekend to make the 8 hour journey to the Mondulkiri Province in North Western Cambodia.
Mondulkiri is Cambodia’s largest province and has previously been known to have an abundance of nature and wildlife. It is also home to Cambodia’s ethnic minority groups, including the indigenous Pnong people. Mondulkiri has been extremely susceptible to the exploitation of its natural resources, in particular illegal logging operations. I made the journey with my Khmer colleagues who could not hide their shock at the deforestation which has occurred in recent years. In fact the situation is much worse than any of us could imagine.
Dense forest jungles have been reduced to grassland, making way for profitable rubber plantations
Responsible tourism is always a tough nut to crack, you want to see and experience all that’s on offer while maintaining the natural balance of the land and the locals. A lot of tour agencies will falsely claim transparency so it’s important to do your research. For me, it’s all about supporting the local community which is why I chose to spend my money on locally owned enterprises. These underdogs need all the support you can give as they struggle to compete with the global corporate’s and are fast becoming few and far between.
The Mondulkiri Project stood out as it is a community run project, established to benefit the local indigenous community. Not only do the local’s benefit, so too does nature and of course the elephants! All of this fits right up my alley. The project is still in its first year of business and is very much at a stage of make or break. Mr. Tree, the brains behind the concept is also the tour guide for the elephant experience. He made the day so much more than just an elephant interaction, it was also informative, educational and eye-opening adventure.
Sophie the elephant in action… Wild & free like an elephant should be!
I had the pleasure to spend the day with Sophie. She’s over 50 years old and has spent her whole life as a ‘elephant tractor’ hauling wood for the village people. Mr. Tree explained that because of being over worked and under nourished she has never been able to breed, one of the driving goals of the project. The last time a baby elephant was born in the Mondulkiri region was over 20 years ago, the project has big plans to change this but for now the focus is making the elephants feel at home. These days Sophie spends 21 hours a day eating instead of working and she’s one happy lady! It was lovely to see that her Mahout (elephant owner/trainer) still spends his days with her, as did his grandfather before him. The difference now being that no weapon or force is used to direct the elephant as she is free to roam in the 200 hectares of rented land by the Mondulkiri Project.
Mr. Tree explained the lengthy process of convincing Sophie’s owners to hand her over for retirement, after countless community meetings they finally agreed. Others are not as forth coming and many elephants are perishing from over-work and illness. To own an elephant means a guaranteed income through offering tourists rides or the more grueling work of heavy haulage in the logging industry. Many are hesitant to retire their elephants, which have been in the family for generations in fear that the family will suffer. For the struggling Pnang people their means of survival is to live of the land. Unfortunately this has turned into a short-term vision and is in no way sustainable. As forests are being sold or poached to extinction, there are no longer plentiful pockets of fruit and vegetables to eat, rivers to fish or shade to shelter under. Mother earth is slowly retreating.
Admiring the elephants from afar- Nature at it’s best!
Alas, Mr. Tree and his team of community supporters are doing their best to make a change. Firstly, by renting an area of forest to protect it from logging, encouraging the regeneration of the ecosystems which live there. This provides not only a sanctuary for the elephants but also a haven for the cooperating Pnang people where they can live from the land as they always have. For those willing to take part in the project, plant medicines and food can be sourced from the forest. The project also employees members, training them in ecotourism and the english language. The idea is that the community will be self sufficient in years to come and run the project without outside influences. Furthermore, agreements have been made to assist with medical treatments and schooling for those select families. By discouraging people to ride elephants the Mondulkiri Project hope it may make a shift in the local mentality. Instead of treating elephants as commodities, they will be treated and respected as animals. Glorious animals to be admired in their natural habitat.
If you or someone you know would like more information about visiting the elephants in Cambodia feel free to contact my friend Mr. Tree at The Mondulkiri Project.
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