PHUKET: Elephants in the tourism trade are up for inspection again on Phuket this weekend with the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation checking IDs.
Eighteen creatures were checked this afternoon at Siam Safari and more are likely to get the once-over on Saturday and Sunday at two other Phuket camps where preliminary checks have previously been made.
The inspection of adult animals follows the seizure of two juveniles, Popeye and Joey, in raids early this month on Phuket.
Authorities are concerned that elephants - especially young elephants - are being taken from national parks by poachers and sold for hefty sums. The animals are then leased to unsuspecting third parties.
Sometimes, environmentalists fear, the mothers are slaughtered in the process of abducting the babies.
The focus of attention on elephant-poaching has also brought as-yet unsubstantiated claims that elephant parts have been consumed on Phuket - and a war of words between some animal-lovers and officials over private zoos.
Today animal activist, Edwin Wiek writing in a national English-language newspaper, accused Damrong Phidet, the Director-General of National Parks, of pursuing innocent wildlife protectors while at the same time ignoring more obvious breaches.
''He now refuses to further raid and inspect elephant camps country-wide even though he knows that they house hundreds of illegally obtained elephants,'' Mr Wiek wrote.
''Adding insult to injury, he even refuses to confiscate almost 300 illegally imported wild animals from an illegal wildlife trader that has openly said he imports and exports wildlife for zoos.''
Today's ''raid'' on Phuket indicates that Phuket and the legitimacy of elephants on the island is still a focus of Khun Damrong's attention.
The inspection team says that the three places being subjected to closer inspections on Phuket have been named by an informant, but they were not naming their source.
Thirty officials were involved in today's checks at Siam Safari, with paperwork, DNA and each individual animal's elephant characteristics all being looked at.
Accompanying the inspection team today was Dr Jirayu Niranwiroj, the veterinarian from Phuket's Provincial Livestock Office.
All of more than 180 elephants on Phuket carry microchips and their health is checked regularly. Numbers of elephants on Phuket have grown with tourism.
Debate continues about whether having elephants in the tourist trade remains appropriate.
The suspicious death of an adult male elephant in Krabi yesterday left local authorities concerned that the animal could have been slaughtered for its one remaining tusk.
Eighteen creatures were checked this afternoon at Siam Safari and more are likely to get the once-over on Saturday and Sunday at two other Phuket camps where preliminary checks have previously been made.
The inspection of adult animals follows the seizure of two juveniles, Popeye and Joey, in raids early this month on Phuket.
Authorities are concerned that elephants - especially young elephants - are being taken from national parks by poachers and sold for hefty sums. The animals are then leased to unsuspecting third parties.
Sometimes, environmentalists fear, the mothers are slaughtered in the process of abducting the babies.
The focus of attention on elephant-poaching has also brought as-yet unsubstantiated claims that elephant parts have been consumed on Phuket - and a war of words between some animal-lovers and officials over private zoos.
Today animal activist, Edwin Wiek writing in a national English-language newspaper, accused Damrong Phidet, the Director-General of National Parks, of pursuing innocent wildlife protectors while at the same time ignoring more obvious breaches.
''He now refuses to further raid and inspect elephant camps country-wide even though he knows that they house hundreds of illegally obtained elephants,'' Mr Wiek wrote.
''Adding insult to injury, he even refuses to confiscate almost 300 illegally imported wild animals from an illegal wildlife trader that has openly said he imports and exports wildlife for zoos.''
Today's ''raid'' on Phuket indicates that Phuket and the legitimacy of elephants on the island is still a focus of Khun Damrong's attention.
The inspection team says that the three places being subjected to closer inspections on Phuket have been named by an informant, but they were not naming their source.
Thirty officials were involved in today's checks at Siam Safari, with paperwork, DNA and each individual animal's elephant characteristics all being looked at.
Accompanying the inspection team today was Dr Jirayu Niranwiroj, the veterinarian from Phuket's Provincial Livestock Office.
All of more than 180 elephants on Phuket carry microchips and their health is checked regularly. Numbers of elephants on Phuket have grown with tourism.
Debate continues about whether having elephants in the tourist trade remains appropriate.
The suspicious death of an adult male elephant in Krabi yesterday left local authorities concerned that the animal could have been slaughtered for its one remaining tusk.
I saw a young elephant being transported on the back of a pick up truck with Bangkok plates yesterday evening around 6. They were heading south on Chaofa west road. Can anyone throw any light on its destination??
Posted by another steve on March 16, 2012 17:54