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Who We Are Elephant Care International is a direct action program. It was launched in November 2000 when we (Susan Mikota DVM and Hank Hammatt) resigned our positions in the U.S.A. to move to Indonesia to provide veterinary support to captive Sumatran elephants (see Sumatran Project). We made our decision to move to Indonesia following our WWF- sponsored trip to Sumatra in April 2000. During this visit we examined 41 elephants at t the Sebanga Pusat Latihan Gajah (Elephant Training Center) in Riau Province. Working together with Dr. Wahdi (program officer and field veterinarian for Fauna and Flora International), we established medical records, administered de-worming medication, treated current medical problems, sampled drinking water, and re-stocked the pharmacy with supplies that we donated. Numerous reports had indicated that the 400 + captive elephants on Sumatra were in need of support to address basic healthcare issues such as wounds, parasites, and marginal nutrition. In addition, Indonesian veterinarians were in need of information and training on elephant healthcare. Based on these reports and our own experiences we felt that we could elevate a basic level of veterinary care to a higher level, provide supplies, and facilitate further international support. To
accomplish these goals, we
felt that it was important to be in Indonesia. To really understand the problems
and to help identify We left the U.S. in February 2001 and headed to Thailand. We attended the First International Conference on the Domesticated Asian Elephant in Bangkok, visited several elephant facilities, poured through Richard Lair's library of elephant references and picked up practice tips from elephant veterinarian, Dr. Preecha. We arrived in Sumatra early March. Although resigning paid positions for a life and a project that would need to be financed by our own fund-raising efforts was somewhat daunting, we were confident that our goals were worthwhile and that we could generate the needed support. The sale of our house in New Orleans provided the seed money for us to begin. We went to work writing grants and giving presentations. It was only after we had arrived in Sumatra (decisions made and ties severed) that we learned that Susan had been awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship. This Fellowship was instrumental in giving us the confidence (and financial support) we needed. We
have continued to receive additional funds from private and The
decision to establish an Internet site that would be a global resource for
elephant healthcare information grew out of our combined talents.
With the publication of Medical Management of the Elephant (Mikota
S., Sargent, E., and Ranglack, G. Indira Publishing House, 1994. V.Prasad@ix.netcom.com)
and in her role as clinical veterinary advisor
to the Elephant Species
Survival Plan (a program of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association),
Susan had accumulated a wealth of information about elephant healthcare.
The Internet was a perfect
vehicle to share this information.
Hank’s photographic and computer skills could make it happen.
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