Volunteer costs are the same as AWF programmes elsewhere in the world at 110 £/€ per week for stays of four weeks or more to cover accommodation and half board. We strongly recommend looking at Air Asia flights and the possibility of combining volunteering session at the MEF with stays at our other projects in Asia, in Malaysia and Vietnam.
Sri Lanka Asian Elephants ProjectClick here to see the Sri Lanka Weekend excursions update May 2012 |
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We want to stop Asia's largest land mammal from becoming extinct. The main threat to its extinction is us. We are destroying their natural habitats, causing violent conflicts that affect humans as well as the elephants. The world population of Asian elephants is estimated to be around 60,000, about a tenth of the number of African elephants. There were nearly 12,000 elephants in Sri Lanka at the turn of the 19th century, but today total is estimated to be about 4,200. Volunteers will be based in the MEF jungle base at Kegalle, a few miles from Kandy, in the Hill Country. This is a fantastic location from where volunteers will reach out to other projects across the island. |
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Volunteer Activities
The AWF, Sri Lanka, has two important programmes, both based at Kegalle, on the foothills of the
fabulous Hill Country and only twenty minutes from its capital, Kandy, a quite extraordinary place.
Accommodation (a mixed dorm) has been renovated especially for the AWF by colleagues at the
Millennium Elephant Foundation- set in a landscaped jungle setting within the elephant compound,
it is in a picturesque setting. Transfers from the airport take about two hours and will cost £30 each
way. All food is provided through the MEF's own restaurant. There will be a beach based R&R chill
out base at Matara on the south coast.
As well as the elephant and conservation work, we will also be running Ayervedic programmes in a nearby spice garden (LINK)
The MEF's Elephant programme will involve the following tasks:
As well as the elephant and conservation work, we will also be running Ayervedic programmes in a nearby spice garden (LINK)
The MEF's Elephant programme will involve the following tasks:
1. Caring for the elephants. This is hands on working directly with the elephant' mahouts. Early
starts 6.00am! See work schedule below.
2. Research Possibilities: Human- Elephant conflict strategies; Artificial insemination; Behavioural studies.
3. Teaching in local schools: English, Environment Studies.
4. Developing key projects: construction of new compound to allow elephants greater freedom; Country wide elephant ambulance service; Running and developing the elephant museum; Developing and running the local shop; Designing and producing merchandise- elephant poo and banana leaf paper, t shirts, etc
5. Fundraising for the Asian Elephant the focus will be a four week sponsored walk with Poojah, a young female elephant from Kegalle to the north of the country. The walk will raise awareness of human- elephant conflict issues as well as help fundraise for elephant projects across Asia.
6. Running educational courses – the AWF will be running a summer school from May through September.
7. Plant a Tree, Fund a Dream working with local schools to plant seeds/ saplings.
8. Building a herb and spice garden in the MEF grounds.
9. Construction Eco Lodges at Kegalle, Habaran (tree houses) and Matara; Field Centre at Habaran.
10. Developing Asian elephant project network across the region- and supporting conservation, education and research work across Asia.
11. Supporting Nature projects across Sri Lanka Blue Whales, Manatee, Leopard, Birds, Turtles, Rainforest Volunteers will spend time on a rota basis with each project.
12. Working and spending time in local Buddhist monasteries, at Kandy and at Matara (on the south coast).
2. Research Possibilities: Human- Elephant conflict strategies; Artificial insemination; Behavioural studies.
3. Teaching in local schools: English, Environment Studies.
4. Developing key projects: construction of new compound to allow elephants greater freedom; Country wide elephant ambulance service; Running and developing the elephant museum; Developing and running the local shop; Designing and producing merchandise- elephant poo and banana leaf paper, t shirts, etc
5. Fundraising for the Asian Elephant the focus will be a four week sponsored walk with Poojah, a young female elephant from Kegalle to the north of the country. The walk will raise awareness of human- elephant conflict issues as well as help fundraise for elephant projects across Asia.
6. Running educational courses – the AWF will be running a summer school from May through September.
7. Plant a Tree, Fund a Dream working with local schools to plant seeds/ saplings.
8. Building a herb and spice garden in the MEF grounds.
9. Construction Eco Lodges at Kegalle, Habaran (tree houses) and Matara; Field Centre at Habaran.
10. Developing Asian elephant project network across the region- and supporting conservation, education and research work across Asia.
11. Supporting Nature projects across Sri Lanka Blue Whales, Manatee, Leopard, Birds, Turtles, Rainforest Volunteers will spend time on a rota basis with each project.
12. Working and spending time in local Buddhist monasteries, at Kandy and at Matara (on the south coast).
Typical Day
6:30-7:30 am
Meet Mahout, go to elephant bed and clear up, daily dung count
Meet Mahout at the river, Bathe elephant
Make elephant vitamin balls/ Clear elephant grazing area of dung and rubbish
Fill in dung count in elephant daily records
8:30 Breakfast
9:30 Vet check- sweep and check the elephants feet for any damage and feed vitamin ball *The volunteers working with Lakshmi or Rani will do elephant painting, providing it is not raining*
10:00- 12:00 Eco-farm gardening
12-2pm Lunch- volunteers have time to go to town or relax as it is the hottest part of the day
2-5pm Various tasks such as Research and sourcing funding Museum displays Fundraising projects Bathing elephant again Updating blog/ newsletter/ twitter/ youtube Setting up grazing area and enrichment games for elephants grazing session at 3pm
*3:30-5pm Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays we teach at an after school club, English lessons centered around conservation issues.
*Thursdays we also have a project in Habarana, one of the area's most affected by the human elephant conflict, the volunteers travel here to see how the project is working and maintain it. This is an all day trip and we are looking at being able to provide accommodation (in a tree house?) for overnight stays. This is a project that needs a lot of funding and sponsorship to purchase bee boxes and to house a full time research team.
*MVU call outs cannot be guaranteed as we may be called at any time to treat a sick elephant. Volunteers will go to assist and observe the vets.
8:30 Breakfast
9:30 Vet check- sweep and check the elephants feet for any damage and feed vitamin ball *The volunteers working with Lakshmi or Rani will do elephant painting, providing it is not raining*
10:00- 12:00 Eco-farm gardening
12-2pm Lunch- volunteers have time to go to town or relax as it is the hottest part of the day
2-5pm Various tasks such as Research and sourcing funding Museum displays Fundraising projects Bathing elephant again Updating blog/ newsletter/ twitter/ youtube Setting up grazing area and enrichment games for elephants grazing session at 3pm
*3:30-5pm Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays we teach at an after school club, English lessons centered around conservation issues.
*Thursdays we also have a project in Habarana, one of the area's most affected by the human elephant conflict, the volunteers travel here to see how the project is working and maintain it. This is an all day trip and we are looking at being able to provide accommodation (in a tree house?) for overnight stays. This is a project that needs a lot of funding and sponsorship to purchase bee boxes and to house a full time research team.
*MVU call outs cannot be guaranteed as we may be called at any time to treat a sick elephant. Volunteers will go to assist and observe the vets.
Programme Costs
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MAIN CAUSES OF ENDANGERMENT:
Habitat loss & conflicts with humans:
Elephants need a large amount of habitat because they eat massive amounts of food (150-300kg daily). Human populations in Asia have quadrupled since the turn of the century, the fastest growth rate on the planet. The loss of habitat is the primary threat to Asian elephants. Approximately 20% of the world's population lives in or near the range of Asian elephants. The homes of these elephants are being cleared for many reasons including warfare, agricultural development, human settlement and logging. Conflicts between Asian elephants and humans often occur because of habitat destruction. Sometimes there is not enough food in small forests to sustain elephants, so they look for the nearest source, which is usually the field of a local farmer. Humans do not consider elephants as good neighbours. When people and elephants live close together, elephants raid crops, and rogue elephants (aggressive male elephants during the breeding season) rampage through villages. The people living in these villages will then shoot the elephants out of fear because they regard them as pests. |
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Wildlife Trade The capture of wild elephants for domestic use has become a threat to some wild populations where numbers have been seriously reduced. India, Vietnam, and Myanmar have banned capture in order to conserve their wild herds, but in Myanmar elephants are still caught each year for the timber and tourist industries or illegal wildlife trade. There are still some thriving but unregulated domestic ivory markets in a number of countries which fuel an illegal international trade.
To Find out more, see our factsheet: |
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