Caring for pachyderms
by eMarketingEyeThe Kuala Gandah Elephant sanctuary is located just outside Lanchang, almost a two hour drive from the capital: Kuala Lumpur. This sanctuary which was established in 1974 by the Malaysian wildlife authorities has grown since then and today has home to over 300 majestic pachyderms.
The objective behind its establishment was to relocate elephants that came into with human settlements in the more remote parts of Malaysia. Being the only such facility in Malaysia the Kuala Gandah Elephant sanctuary plays an important role in capturing, sedating and re-integrating problem causing elephants.
The issue of dwindling habitat for the elephant and the human population growth coupled with an increase in commercial agriculture has been a potent combination. A number of elephants had been killed by farmers in defense of their families and their crops while the formerly free roaming elephants have been regular invaders of agricultural land.
The elephants here are trained to help out in the translocation of their wilder counterparts. A translocation team consists of two trained elephants and a handful of the sanctuary’s employees. The trained elephants usually hold the wild elephant in place by placing themselves on either side while the team quickly sedates and arranges the heavy metal chains. The ‘worker’ elephants also help to integrate the new comers in to the sanctuary habitat and are referred to as ‘guides and mothers’ of the wild elephants.
A number of activities can be experienced by visitors to the Kuala Gandah Elephant sanctuary such as being able to walk around among the huge mammals accompanied by the trusty elephant man of course. More adventurous travelers can try out riding on the back of an elephant, going down to the river and taking a bath with them and even feeding them.
A discount hotel in Kuala Lumpur that offers great sights of the city as well as excellent transportation links to places such as the Kuala Gandah Elephant sanctuary is the Citrus Hotel Kuala Lumpur.