Tour operators, timber company see bright future for elephant tourism

The government-run Myanma Timber Enterprise had earned about K430 million (US$325,535) since it began operating 18 elephant conservation-based tourism camps around the country two years ago.

The government has banned timber extraction for a period of one year for the whole country and for 10 years in Bago Yoma Hills in central Myanmar, effective from the 2016-17 fiscal year.

As a result of the ban, the management of Myanma Timber Enterprise converted its elephant camps into elephant conservation-based tourism camps in a bid to earn revenue while providing income for 3000 mahouts, or elephant handlers, and help maintain the company’s herd of pachyderms, which are used to move felled trees out of the woods.

“Elephant conservation-based tourism has proven successful. Also we need to do more hospitality training for people who live in the camps and build more infrastructure in the camps,” U Moe Myint, deputy general manager of Myanma Timber, told The Myanmar Times.

Myanma Timber owns 3078 elephants, of which 514 are under 4, 734 are between 4 and 18, and 1597 are 18 to 55 years old. The rest, 233, are retired elephants.

Each elephant above 4 years old needs a mahout to train it for working with people, which is why the company has more than 2500 mahouts.

Among the 3078 elephants, the company uses 205 elephants at its 18 elephant camps, it said.

“We are looking for more places to open elephant conservation-based tourism camps,” he added.

The camps charge an entrance fee of K1000, and an elephant ride costs K5000 for locals. However, foreign tourists are charged K20,000 for the entrance fee and elephant ride.

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Tour operators, timber company see bright future for elephant tourism

The government-run Myanma Timber Enterprise had earned about K430 million (US$325,535) since it began operating 18 elephant conservation-based tourism camps around the country two years ago.

The government has banned timber extraction for a period of one year for the whole country and for 10 years in Bago Yoma Hills in central Myanmar, effective from the 2016-17 fiscal year.

As a result of the ban, the management of Myanma Timber Enterprise converted its elephant camps into elephant conservation-based tourism camps in a bid to earn revenue while providing income for 3000 mahouts, or elephant handlers, and help maintain the company’s herd of pachyderms, which are used to move felled trees out of the woods.

“Elephant conservation-based tourism has proven successful. Also we need to do more hospitality training for people who live in the camps and build more infrastructure in the camps,” U Moe Myint, deputy general manager of Myanma Timber, told The Myanmar Times.

Myanma Timber owns 3078 elephants, of which 514 are under 4, 734 are between 4 and 18, and 1597 are 18 to 55 years old. The rest, 233, are retired elephants.

Each elephant above 4 years old needs a mahout to train it for working with people, which is why the company has more than 2500 mahouts.

Among the 3078 elephants, the company uses 205 elephants at its 18 elephant camps, it said.

“We are looking for more places to open elephant conservation-based tourism camps,” he added.

The camps charge an entrance fee of K1000, and an elephant ride costs K5000 for locals. However, foreign tourists are charged K20,000 for the entrance fee and elephant ride.

“We have to return to the government all income from entrance fees and elephant rided,” U Moe Myint said. “That income is only enough to cover the elephants’ food and medicines but is not sufficient to pay the mahouts, who are paid by the government.”

The Union of Myanmar Travel Association (UMTA) and Myanma Timber met to discuss developing more elephant conservation-based tourism camps on April 9.

“There a lot of things done with elephants in the tourism industry of other countries, and we need to do more,” said U Min Thein, vice chairman of UMTA. “Also, Myanma Timber and tourism operators need to cooperate more.”

Elephant conservation-based tourism needs more promotion by cooperating with tourism operators, he said.

“This kind of tourism would be very successful if we strengthen cooperation,” U Min Thein said. “But we need to train the elephants more and promote the camps more.”

There are 52 veterinarians for the 3078 elephants, so the government needs to encourage more people to study veterinary medicine to ensure the conservation of Myanmar’s treasured elephants, said Dr Zaw Min Oo, a vet and manager of Myanma Timber.

“Some elephant camps are very far from cities, so vets have to stay for more than 20 days in a month, and move from camp to camp with poor facilities,” he said.

The younger generation is not interested in veterinary jobs, because they have no benefits, status or incentives,” he said.

According to the Emergency Elephant Response Unit, 59 wild elephants were killed during the 2017-18 fiscal year by poaching, which has become a major threat to the animals.

Burma’s wild elephant numbers have dropped dramatically over the past 50 years and appear to still be in decline, according to elephant conservation group EleAid.

Among the major threats are poaching and habitat loss and fragmentation, it added.

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Elephant camp to be opened in Bagan-Nyaung Oo

Bagan-A new elephant camp will be opened near the Palin village in Nyaung Oo Township, Mandalay Region on March 28 according to assistant general manager of Myanmar Timber Enterprise Than Soe Oo.
The new elephant camp is 5 mile distant from Nyaung Oo near Ayeyarwaddy River. As the timber production has nearly stopped, an elephant camp has been introduced to give awareness on environmental conservation, to cherish wild life, to provide elephants and staff when they are temporarily resting from their duties and to create job opportunities for the locals in the region.
“We are planning to open on March 28. There will be 4 elephants there. We also showcase elephant’s taming show, and there will be a restaurant. We are doing our best to open in time,” said Than Soe Oo.
The camp is situated on 4.18 acres wide. From there, local and foreign visitors can enjoy sunrise and sunset views of Ayeyarwaddy River. The entrance fee is Ks.1000 for a person and Ks.5000 each for elephant ride. For foreigners, it will cost Ks.20, 000 per person.
Myanmar Timber Enterprise is opening three elephant camps in Kathar and Mawleik in Sagaing Region and currently Palin Kantharyar camp.

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Elephant camp opens in Dr Brandis’s teak plantation in Pyay

An elephant camp has opened in Dr Brandis’s teak plantation on Yangon-Pyay road in Pyay Township in west Bago region. 

 

The teak plantation was first devised by Dr Dietrich Brandis, a German-British forester, in 1857. The plantation started with 511 teak plants and in 1960, it covered 78 acres with 3,503 teak plants.  

 

Tun Tun Oo, deputy general-manager of Bago region Forest Department, said: “In the past, no one was allowed to enter the camp. Now we have opened the camp in order that the people can visit the nature of plants and enjoy elephant riding.

 

“This plantation was established after the British captured lower Myanmar in the Anglo-Burmese War. This is the first man-made teak plantation, and visitors can enjoy seeing the biggest teak tree here.”

 

Tin Min Oo, assistant general-manager of Pyay District Forest Department, said: “We will open the elephant camp in order for visitors to enjoy the nature of teak trees.”

Fees for a short elephant-ride tour will be K5,000 and, for a long trip, K10,000

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Myanmar to open new elephant camp in Mandalay

Myanmar authorities have planned to open one more elephant camp in Pyin Oo Lwin in Mandalay region by the end of this year, the official Global New Light of Myanmar reported Saturday.

The camp covers 29.9 hectares of land and the arrangements for safe elephant rides are also underway.

The average age of the six elephants are between 10 and 17 years old, excluding an elder one which is 55 years old.

It will cost 3.6 U.S. dollars for local vacationers and 14 U.S. dollars for foreign visitors for riding elephant.

Meanwhile, Myanmar Timber Enterprise and Four Paws International (FPI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding for establishing elephant camps and conservation of elephants with the use of 1.8 million euros.

Elephant camps have been set up in Wingabaw, Hmawyawgyi, Nathmaw, Pawlangyaintba, Wawma, Warphyutaung, Natmauk, Chaungtha, Kyarzwe and Mokekha.

According to the Hotels and Tourism department, Mandalay region has received 374,221 foreign visitors, mostly from China, Thailand and France.

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Elephant camp reopens for travel season

The Nathmaw elephant camp.

The highest earning elephant camp in Bago Region reopened yesterday for the travel season.

The Nathmaw camp in Pyay District opened for the first time between December and March and earned over Ks26 million. The elephants are reportedly released to the Bago Range during the rainy season when visitors are fewer in number.

Htun Htun Oo, deputy general manager of the Bago Region timber enterprise, said: “The camp is near the ports and its service fee is lower than that of other camps. So we can say it is the highest earning elephant camp in the country.”

Visitors can ride the elephants around the jungle and interact with them.

“We keep two males and one female and have ordered a mother and her baby,” said Tin Min Oo, deputy general manager of the Pyay timber enterprise. “An elephant ride lasts around 15 to 30 minutes.”

Foreign tourists are charged Ks20,000 for a ride and local visitors Ks2,000. The camp closes on Mondays. (US$1 = Ks1,350)

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Number of visitors to Wingabaw Elephant Camp increased by 80 %

HE number of visitors to Wingabaw Elephant Camp in Bago Region has increased by 80 per cent when compared with its opening in late 2016, said U Myint Soe, in-charge of the camp.

According to the Myawady Daily’s Sunday issue, the camp hosts 50 visitors in average on every weekday beginning from this financial year. At the weekend, the number of visitors increased to about 100 the most.

Located near Wingabaw Village in Phayagyi Town, Bago Region, the elephant camp has been opened to the public since 3 November, 2016. The 86.2-acre wide camp is situated nearly 40 miles from Yangon. There are seven orphaned baby elephants plus 10 adult elephants.

The admission fees for local visitor is Ks1,000 per head and Ks5,000 for those who want to ride an elephant while a foreigner have to Ks20,000 for elephant trekking.

Elephant bathing watch is also available between 7 a.m. and 8.30 p.m. daily. “We widely explain the natural characters and movements of the large mammal to the visitors while they visiting around the camp for observation purpose between 12 to 3 p.m. on a daily basis,” said U Myint Soe.—GNLM

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Nay Pyi Taw gets elephant camp

Some elephants at the Nga Laik elephant camp near the Nga Laik dam, Nay Pyi Taw
The Nga Laik Sakhamtha Elephant Camp will open near the Nga Laik dam, Nay Pyi Taw, in May.

The 20-acre site is in the Thet Gyi Kyun plantation in Oaktaya Thiri Township.

It has seven elephants, including two babies, and 21 staff. Plans are underway to open restaurants, recreation centres and gift shops. Accommodation is not available.

The entrance fee will be Ks1,000 for Burmese visitors and Ks2,000 for foreigners. There is an extra charge for an elephant ride. Rides are not available during the midday heat.

There will be lessons held on handling elephants.

Boat rides to the Nga Laik dam will be available. If the camp proves popular, more elephants will be retired from the timber felling work and sent to the camp.

Visits have already started with more than 150 visitors per day visiting the camp during the Thingyan holiday.

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