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Kuala Gandah Elephant Conservation Centre, or
popularly referred to as the Elephant Orphanage Sanctuary,
is located within the bio diversified-rich and protected
Krau Game Reserve & was set up in 1989 under the DWNP
<Department of Wildlife & National Parks, Malaysia>, manned bythe 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
near the electric compound enclosure which houses the
elephants during the day from 830am to 2pm before they are
transferred to the roofed holding area.
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.
The clearing of the jungles created consistent
confrontations between the wild elephants and the settlers.
The unit remained there until 1981 before it moved to Kuala
Lompat on the north eastern side of Krau 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.
Find out the world's 10 BIGGEST CULPRITS that keep on
warming up the fragile world and yet blames Malaysia for
supposedly cutting down all the forests. Go to
http://unfccc.int/2860.php
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 land 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 the
possibilities of being charged or trampled byenraged 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 human planters!
Currently, there are 32 full time and 6 contracted staff
working, living in and near the centre complete with housing
facilities.
Water is supplied and piped in from the upper reaches of the
cool, clear and clean Sungai Batu waterfalls which lies
within the gazetted " Protected Areas " of the Krau Game
Reserve while
electricity supply is on a 24 hour basis.
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 sighted 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 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 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! Be warned though - he will try his
best to
convince you to pass the good word around and get material
donations for the ETCU!
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