Elephant Doctor and "Xiang Dad" in Xishuangbanna
Almost all the wild elephants that came here were caught in some kind of danger.
The male elephant that was defeated in the fight rolled down a cliff more than 80 meters high; the baby elephant that was born with a weak body was rolled up by the female elephant’s nose and sent to the village down the mountain; there were also those who fell into the mud pool and the reservoir. , The wild elephants trapped by the traps and clamps against wild boars.
They were taken to the Asian elephant provenance breeding and rescue center in Mengyang area.
Now here, there are 7 wild elephants that have been rescued and contained.
The person in charge of this project is Shen Qingzhong, a senior engineer and director of the Institute of Ecology of Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve.
He introduced that in 2005, the rescue center successfully rescued an injured wild elephant-the female elephant "Ranran" whose left hind leg was clamped by the beast. So far, the center has participated in 24 rescue operations of Asian elephants.
In fact, the rescue of Asian elephants has failed far more often than succeeded in a long period of time.
"Especially the rescue of lactating baby elephants is currently a world-class problem." Shen Qingzhong said that every rescue is a process of exploration and also provides experience for the next rescue. "Help them, let them Returning to the wild, this is our ultimate goal."
Baby Elephant "Sheep Girl"
"Sheep Niu" Wei injured her foot.
One day at the end of May, it went into the mountain to play and tripped over a raised tree root.
After applying medicine and infusion for nearly a month, the redness and swelling of the left front leg remained unresolved, and the road was bumpy.
"Dr. Elephant" Bao Mingwei checked carefully and found that he did not sprain the bone. He prepared a pot of purple potion that relieves swelling and pain. "Sheep Niu" thought it was a new toy. His feet were dangling in the potion, making short, cheerful sounds from time to time. Scream.
"Sheep Niu" has been living in the rescue center for six years.
It is timid, and the roaring of other wild elephants at night and the noise of cars on the highway may startle him, showing symptoms of body convulsions, vomiting and diarrhea.
"Like Dad" Li Tao said, it often needs to be guarded all night, touch it to comfort it.
In August 2015, when she was found in the courtyard of a family in Ganlanba Village, Simao District, Pu'er City, the "Goat Niu" was so weak that she could hardly stand up.
Bao Mingwei remembered that his umbilical cord wound was infected with pus, causing multiple ulcers in the abdominal cavity, and there were also many goose egg-sized bumps on his body.
He inferred that this was a baby elephant that had just been born about a week ago.
In the rescue center, "Sheep Niu" was placed in an empty room with a high and low bed in the corner. Four breeders took care of it in shifts.
Bao Mingwei worked with veterinary experts who came from Kunming to treat her wounds, performed medical and surgical examinations, and made a preliminary diagnosis. He also suffered from arrhythmia, heart failure and other symptoms.
Elephant experts from Thailand also rushed over and agreed on a treatment plan.
The baby elephant has no molars yet and can only drink milk.
Some experts mentioned that the nutrition of goat milk is close to that of elephant milk, so Bao Mingwei brought a few goats to the rescue center.
The name of "Yang Niu" was called out like this.
But it hasn’t learned how to use the elephant’s trunk. When drinking water, its nose hangs softly, blocking its mouth. "Elephant Dad" Chen Jiming remembers that he had to hold the elephant’s trunk with his hand and feed it with a bottle. It could only drink at a time. Drink more than ten milliliters and feed it every hour.
After more than half a month of treatment, the "Goat Niu" slowly escaped life-threatening.
But at the time, no one dared to pack a ticket to really save it.
After all, domestic and foreign veterinary experts even issued a "death notice" to it.
Shen Qingzhong said that before the "Yang Niu" came to the rescue center, there were no cases of successful nursing baby elephants being rescued in China. What's more, "Yang Niu" was the youngest elephant when it was rescued.
Relief is far more difficult than imagined
Having participated in the rescue work of wild elephants for more than 30 years, Shen Qingzhong has countless number of times the staff in the reserve have "picked up" baby elephants.
Unfortunately, the rescue is far more difficult than imagined.
Some were dying when they were discovered, some were rescued for more than 40 days, but still could not be rescued, and some baby elephants grew up to three or four years old at the rescue station, and eventually died.
According to Cao Mengliang, the former director of Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve Management Bureau, in 1988, Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve Management Bureau was established. A simple rescue station was set up at Sanchahe Conservation Station in Mengyang area with two staff. But there is no professional veterinarian.
In July 1989, the rescue station in Mengyang area received the first trapped baby elephant.
It was a baby elephant just a few days old that fell into a mud pit formed by a mountain collapse.
No one knows how to feed a baby elephant.
According to the feeding methods of other animal cubs, the staff brought large pots of water and milk and tried to feed it.
"Just raised it." Cao Mengliang gave it a name, "Mengmeng".
The original plan was to wait for "Mengmeng" to grow up a little bit before being released into the wild.
Cao Mengliang recalled that in the third year or so, "Mengmeng" had grown to more than 500 kilograms, suddenly fell ill, collapsed on the ground and couldn't get up, gradually unable to eat, and his whole body was ulcerated.
A veterinarian was recruited from the rescue station and a veterinary expert from the Kunming Zoo, but the cause could not be found.
Cao Mengliang analyzed, “Abandoned baby elephants may have some congenital diseases. This may be the rule of survival of wild animals and a way of natural elimination.”
In the 1990s, wild elephants began to walk out of the reserve to feed on crops on the farmland.
From time to time, wild elephants fall into the reservoirs dug by farmers and cannot climb out.
Li Zhongyuan, head of the Wildlife Protection Station of the Forestry and Grass Bureau of Xishuangbanna Prefecture, remembers that some villagers found the largest bamboo strips in the village, took the elephants, tied them with thick ropes, like a tug-of-war competition, people hugged people, dragged them backwards, just like that. This behemoth was fished out.
In the autumn of 1998, Zhao Jinqing, a forest ranger in Nanping Village, Mengla County, found a severely injured wild elephant in his rice field. Its abdomen was torn open and there was an obvious wound on its right hind leg.
Zhao Jinqing watched the wild elephant move slowly and weakened day by day.
Swarms of flies surround this behemoth, and Zhao Jinqing can even smell the stench of rotting flesh.
Zhao Jinqing tried to treat this wild elephant based on his experience in raising cattle.
He bought anti-inflammatory and deworming medicine.
The medicine drives away the flies, but the wounds of the wild elephants are visibly more serious.
Veterinary experts were later invited to the reserve.
But still to no avail, the wild elephant eventually fell into the rice field.
Shen Qingzhong said that at that time local veterinarians basically dealt with domestic livestock, and there were no veterinarians specializing in research and treatment of wild elephants in China, so they could only invite foreign veterinary experts for guidance.
Shen Qingzhong realized that an important part of the rescue of wild elephants was missing-a professional elephant doctor.
Elephant Doctor
In 2000, Shen Qingzhong recruited three graduates from Yunnan Provincial Animal Husbandry and Veterinary School and arranged to work in the Wild Elephant Valley Scenic Area. Bao Mingwei was one of them.
In 2005, Bao Mingwei participated in the rescue of an injured baby elephant for the first time.
It was found in a nitrate pond near the Wild Elephant Valley, with a beast clamp on its left hind leg, struggling to follow the elephant herd.
After observing for a few days, the little elephant walked slowly and slowly, being pushed by the female elephant to follow the end of the line.
The veterinarian with an anesthesia gun looked at the opportunity and numb the baby elephant.
The elephant herd was frightened, and seven or eight female elephants gathered around, pulled it with her nose, tried to hold it, and refused to leave.
The effect of the anesthetic can only last for an hour. The time for treatment is urgent. Riot bombs and tear gas were used as a last resort. As soon as the elephant group ran away, dozens of people rushed over, moved the baby elephant on a stretcher, and carried it to the rescue station in the Mengyang area. .
The little elephant has a name, "Ran Ran".
After removing the animal clip, there was deep bone in the wound on the left hind leg, and the flesh was purulent and infected.
After simple cleaning and anti-inflammatory, the effect of the anesthetic is almost there, and the veterinarians hurried out of the room.
As soon as the baby elephant stood up, it rushed in the direction of the person, bumping into the cage continuously.
It doesn't eat or drink, it doesn't even look at the sugar cane thrown in, and it knocks over the bucket with its nose.
Inflammation of the wound may lead to sepsis, but the veterinarian could not treat it. As soon as he approached, he swiped his nose on the veterinarian's head.
Some foreign experts suggest that euthanasia can be implemented.
Bao Mingwei disagreed. He felt that the little elephant's aggressiveness was precisely because of its will to survive.
When "The Elephant Trainer" Xiong Chaoyong saw Ranran for the first time, his ears and tail were pricked up and his eyes were fierce. Xiong Chaoyong knew that this was a state of alert.
It is locked in an elephant house with iron railings, which can block the wild elephants and allow "elephant father" to pass through it.
Xiong Chaoyong stood outside the iron fence, stepped in, took the food to the little elephant, and immediately returned after sending it.
In this way, he had been fed not far and near for almost two weeks before it allowed his approach.
With the cooperation of the breeder, Bao Mingwei loaded the external medicine into a high-pressure sprayer, and while Xiong Chaoyong attracted the attention of Ranran, he took the sprayer and sprayed it on Ranran’s legs. Run away quickly.
He also modified a blowpipe so that he could stand at a distance of ten to twenty meters and "blow" the medicine into it.
The problem of applying medicine was solved, and new flesh grew from the wound of Ranran.
Its guard on people relaxed, and "Elephant Doctor" Bao Mingwei was able to approach it and record various physical signs.
In the beginning, Bao Mingwei compared the data with people and simply judged whether Ranran had fever or inflammation.
Later, more and more data were collected. He compared the "ranran" state under different data and summarized a set of indicators suitable for wild elephants.
"It may not be 100% accurate, but at least it can provide a reference standard in the treatment process." Bao Mingwei smiled.
With the experience of treating "ranran", the rescue center has one or two successful rescue cases every year.
In 2007, they rescued "Ping Ping," a seriously injured female elephant.
"Pingping" was injured by a male elephant in estrus during breastfeeding.
When forest ranger Zhao Jinqing found it, it tore a long wound on its buttocks, and its legs were soaked with bloody pus.
The operation performed jointly by Bao Mingwei and domestic and foreign veterinary experts and gynecologists was extremely tricky.
Human medical instruments, B-ultrasound equipment, etc. were all brought to the scene, and it was impossible to penetrate the thick elephant skin. At that time, it was even difficult to determine the internal injuries of its body.
Bao Mingwei remembered that the operation was performed four times, layer by layer, scraping away the carrion of the wound, and groping for the operation until its physical indications tended to the normal range he summarized.
The "Pingping" operation should be considered a success, but it lost fertility and was accompanied by lifelong urinary incontinence.
Shen Qingzhong recorded this case and shared it with forest rangers and monitors, hoping to apply it to the protection of Asian elephants.
"If we find that the male elephant in the estrus period is rejected by the female elephant, we can immediately have some countermeasures when there is a conflict. Once the injury occurs, we can quickly intervene and perform treatment, and the situation may not be so serious."
As the number of cases of rescue of wild elephants increases, Bao Mingwei's "case database" of wild elephants is constantly updated.
"Like Dad"
In 2008, the elephant house of the rescue center was completed, and "Ran Ran" and "Ping Ping" who had just completed the operation moved in.
Later, there was another "Kun Six" who was rescued from falling off a cliff after fighting with a male elephant; "Xiao Qiang," a lone elephant who was out of the group at the age of one year; "A Bao" who broke into Pu'er city and wandered for a few days; "Weizhayo" of a few cars.
They have a name, they have their own elephant house, and they have their own breeder.
There are not many breeders left.
The people who came to the rescue center were full of enthusiasm and love for elephants at the beginning. Some had worked as elephant breeders in zoos, some were students studying breeding, and there were also villagers from nearby villages.
Chen Jiming recalled that some breeders worked for a few months and left when they got acquainted with the elephants, and some were poached by the safari park with high salaries.
When there are new recruits, Chen Jiming will pour cold water at the very beginning, "The elephant looks cute and docile, but in fact, this job is hard, tiring, and dangerous. Can you stick to it? "
In getting along with wild elephants day and night, the breeder has a title, "Elephant Dad". This name gives responsibility and affection to this job.
Elephants begin to understand some simple instructions, such as "Mai" (to come) and "Bai" (to go) in Dai language. They can cooperate with Bao Mingwei's inspection, open their mouths, lift their hooves, and even distinguish their own feeding. Keepers and other elephant breeders.
They begin to get close to humans and rely on humans.
The rescue center is located in the center of the Mengyang area, surrounded by mountains and near a tributary of the Sancha River, where wild elephants often pass by.
Shen Qingzhong compared the activities of the elephants in the rescue center with the activities of nearby elephants and found that wild elephants are always walking. An elephant group may move 10 kilometers a day. When food conditions are not good, it may walk 15 to 20 kilometers.
He quickly realized that wild elephants cannot always be kept in a narrow elephant house, nor can they eat only a few kinds of food provided by humans, but they must be restocked in the wild and eat a variety of plants, "getting physical exercise in nature." ".
The elephants of the rescue center began to move in a small area in the reserve.
But the elephants seem to have adapted to life in captivity and are reluctant to leave the elephant house.
Every morning, an "Elephant Daddy" needs to lure him to go out with a carrot, and another "Elephant Daddy" pulls his ears and takes him forward. In the evening, he will bring him back to the elephant house, and he will behave well. Can get food rewards.
As soon as they walked out of the elephant house, they walked into the mountains like a joy, but they had to stop and wait for "Xiang Dad" after running a few steps.
Entered the mountain, found a piece of grass, and started to eat while walking.
Elephant walks and stops, "Xiang Dad" also walks and stops, and has to walk 20,000 to 30,000 steps a day.
Bao Mingwei had some contradictions. During the treatment, the wild elephants began to trust people, rely on people, and even couldn't do without people. "But the rescued wild elephants will eventually return to the wild to survive."
The release problem
The elephant house in the rescue center was almost full.
In addition to the rescued and sheltered wild elephants, this place is also responsible for the breeding of Asian elephants. Up to now, 9 baby elephants have been born here.
Shen Qingzhong believes that with the increase in the number of Asian elephant populations, the rescue of Asian elephants must be a long-term task, and the rescue center will exist as an "elephant hospital".
But in fact, until now, the rescue center is still facing failure and death in the rescue work of wild elephants.
"The rescue of Asian elephants, especially the rescue of lactating baby elephants, is a world problem." As early as many years ago, the rescue center began to try to cooperate with universities, scientific research institutions and hospitals to carry out some basic research on Asian elephants.
But Shen Qingzhong said frankly, "We have too little knowledge and understanding of Asian elephants, and the rescue is still at a very early stage."
Cao Mengliang questioned that the current rescue model has made wild elephants completely dependent on people. The annual elephant festival is held with a fruit feast, which is very grand. Does this change the purpose of the rescue?
"The original intention of the rescue center should be to provide rescue to wild elephants when they encounter difficulties or dangers, and when their difficulties are solved, the rescue is completed, and finally they should return to nature in a healthy manner. The rescue is to protect the Asian elephants. A job for me." he said.
In fact, Shen Qingzhong said that in recent years, the rescue center has been continuously exploring and designing a route for the release of wild elephants.
But the wild elephants in the rescue center can hardly adapt to the wild anymore.
"Yang Niu" and "Xiao Qiang" grew up in the rescue center almost since childhood. They spend more time with people than elephants. When they encounter elephants in the wild, they run faster than "Elephant Dad".
As for other wild elephants that have experienced serious injuries, the old disease may recur at any time.
For example, "Ran Ran", Bao Mingwei can't remember how many times its scars have been torn. In the field activities, when encountering a slightly steep slope and making a big move, its scars may be torn.
Shen Qingzhong believes that objectively, the current rescue center also does not have the conditions to be released into the wild.
Before being released, the wild elephants must be trained for long-term rewilding, and they must be able to monitor how well they adapt after returning to nature and whether they can survive.
Only when the conditions are ripe, the rescue center can apply to the national forestry department for expert evaluation to determine whether it can be released.
"Release must be our ultimate goal of rescuing the wild elephant. But this is not a matter of simply pulling it to a forest hundreds of kilometers away. If it is hurriedly released back to nature, it may be the day when the wild elephant is about to die." Shen Qingzhong said, "We still have a long way to go in helping the wild elephants."
Chen Jiming imagined the scenes of releasing the "goat girl" countless times.
He was always worried that "Yang Niu" would encounter such and other difficulties again, but he knew in his heart that that day would come, and "Yang Niu" would return to the wild after all, "I look forward to it coming back to see me with its baby. On that day, I can only say that the rescue of it is truly successful."
June 27-30
Elephant groups continue to move in the woodland near Tadian Town, Eshan County.
The provincial headquarters required to continue to do a good job in marking, managing personnel, claim settlement, and relocation assistance.
The lone elephant is located in the northeast of the elephant group, 53.6 kilometers away from the elephant group. It is active in the woodland near Beicheng Street, Hongta District, Yuxi City.
July 1-4
The elephant group entered Huanian Town and continued its activities.
July 5-6
The elephant group continued to move south and entered the woodland near Guishan Street in Xinping County to move and rest.
The lone elephant is located in the northeast of the elephant group, about 70 kilometers away from the elephant group, and is active near Beicheng Street, Hongta District, Yuxi City.
All 15 elephants are within the monitoring range, and the human elephants are safe.
15:00 on July 7
Duxiang safely returned to the habitat of Mengyang area of Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve.
Since July 5, the elephant has entered the [zǎn]batang community, Beicheng Street, Yuxi City, only 0.3 kilometers away from Jinhong Expressway and 0.2 kilometers away from Kunyu Intercity Railway. It is difficult to control the safety of the elephant, and the public safety risk is high. .
In order to ensure the safety of human figures, after research and judgment, the on-site command center took measures to capture them in accordance with the emergency response plan.
At 15:00 on July 7th, Duxiang was safely transferred to its original habitat, with normal physiological indicators and returned to the habitat safely.
The northward stray elephant broke away from the northward Asian elephant group on June 6 this year and has been alone for 32 days.
July 11
The elephant group has moved south to Longwu Town, Shiping County, Honghe Prefecture, and is active in the nearby woodland.
The elephants are within the monitoring range, and the human elephants are safe.
Beijing News reporter Xiao Weiwei