.
"
S
elamat Datang"
to Kuala Gandah!
Kuala Gandah National Elephant
Conservation Centre, or popularly
referred to as the
Elephant Orphanage Sanctuary, is located
within the bio diversified-rich and protected
Krau Wildlife Game Reserve
of about 62,000++ hectares & was
set up in 1989 under the DWNP
<Department of Wildlife & National Parks, Malaysia>,
manned by the Elephant Capture &
Translocation Unit
The Teris River acts as
a natural border between the reserve
and the Che' wong Orang Asli
village
- the last tribe of its kind found in Malaysia.
The name Kuala Gandah is, itself, taken from the small
stream
running just before where most of the resident elephants
are keptto your right after crossing the concrete bridge
fromthe Visitor Registration & Information building.
ALL
VISITORS ARE REQUIRED TO REGISTER
@ THE VISITOR REGISTRATION & INFORMATION BUILDING.
Kindly ensure that your guide informs you
of all the rules & regulations that are in placed
before crossing the bridge.
Prior to this arrangement,
the ECTU
was a mobile operating team
since its establishment in 1974 with a temporary base at the
Jengka Pusat plantation where a huge area of jungle was carved to
make way for the planting of oil palm and rubber trees and given
to poor families to work on as a means of eradicating poverty
amongst the rural folk and to rid of subversive hideouts during
the communist insurgency days in
the 1970s.
Poverty in Peninsular Malaysia
has been reduced
progressively & successfully from slightly more than 50%
in the 1970s to less than 3.5% based
on
the United Nations Development Programme.
The clearing of the jungles
created consistent confrontations
between the wild elephants and the settlers.
The unit remained there untill 1981 before it moved to
Kuala Lompat on the north eastern side of
Krau Wildlife Game Reserve.
However, it must be noted
that cutting down of the forests
here are done for the overall benefit of the people of Malaysia within
the poverty line and compared to any other countries in the world
- Malaysia has
THE BEST record in forest preservation
AND reforestation.
ECTU's dedicated and never ending function is to the
continued
protection and
translocation of wild elephants,
from areas where there is conflict between wild elephants and
humans, into bigger and safer jungle reserves while
educating locals on the correct steps to protect their farms
whilst supporting wildlife conservation.
This unit is one of its
kind in the world
where abandoned and rescued wild elephants are trained
& turned into working elephants to persuade and remove with
brute strength partially captured & sedated wild elephants.
The the possibilities of being
charged or trampled
by enraged wild elephants happens for 2/3 weeks every month!
It is a thankless job
where only a very tiny percentage of
the general public is aware of the existence, dedication
and sacrifices these magnificent men make every month in order
to provide a
win-win situation for both the wild elephants
and the humans!
With
a strength staff of almost 60 men and women,
it is also a race against time to replace senior staff
with fresh young blood and every encouragement
and support from visitors are warmly welcomed.
Although
the sanctuary was set up in late 1989, it was only in 1997
that the general Malaysian public and the world knew of its existence,
thanks to the far sightness of a very good friend of the sanctuary,
who is often referred to as
The Elephant Man
!
Not only did he suggested, created activities and led
surprised visitors to this sanctuary, but also unselfishly invited
the media, tourist guides and travel agencies to see what
the sanctuary has to offer as he realised that
the sanctuary IS for everyone!
The rest, as they say....is
history .
If
you do meet him here during one of his volunteering visits
- feel free to ask him anything there is about the sanctuary and
elephants over a cup of tea and he will make your day a
very unforgetable one for you!
He is also currently a mentor to a group of local
youths trained to be guides for visitors.
For that, a
BIG thank you, Mr Elephant Man!
Photo courtesy of The Elephant Man
Objectives of the Centre
-
Overall
For the continuos
conservation of the elephants and its habitats through sustainable management
in tandem
with the aspirations of the country
.
-
Immediate
1) Ensuring
of the protection
and management
of the elephants and
its habitants
2) Enhancing the public's
knowledge ,
awareness and
support on the
importance of elephant conservation.
3) Managing the Centre as a centre for Research and Education as
well as an economic &
eco-tourism
activities site.
ALWAYS
proud to be EleFriends!