The sanitary situation of Lao elephants is deteriorating due to overwork and improper care and management services. The working elephant birth ratio is falling, the trade and status of the mahout is waning, and the current elephant registration process needs urgent improvements in order to become a tool that will help implement better practices in elephant care and management and prevent illegal cross-border trading.
There is a clear need to improve the living conditions and socio-economic development of local people working with domesticated elephants, improve technical skills of veterinarians at national and provincial level, improve mahouts skills in the fields of elephant basic care and management, develop a nationwide elephant registration process/database, provide medicines and medical equipment, operate a mobile veterinary unit (elephant registration, training & vet care), and construct "Elephant Information Houses" in Vientiane and Luang Prabang to help fund vet care operations and promote tourism with elephants.
IEF funding supports the Elephant Care Mobile Unit, veterinarian training, and awareness raising through the Elephant Information Houses.
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