Thursday 12 July 2012

Elephant Sanctuary Kuala Gandah Conflict


KUALA GANDAH ELEPHANT SANCTUARY



Website  : www.bigtreetours.com
Email      : klfong.bigtreemalaysia@gmail.com   
Hotline    : +6019 662 2929 / 019 237 6999

Peninsula Malaysia experiencing the fastest growth in economics and every states have it's own set of economies to sustain the peoples and to modernized the inhabitants. Even though selected logging and deforestation for Malaysia most valuable Palm Oil Plantation has been in practice, this activities have affected the natural habitat and the environment. Elephant has been one of the species that has been affected. Yet Malaysia Government through the Forestry Ministry and Wildlife Dept has been doing it best to relocate the elephants.
Elephant Sanctuary Kuala Gandah +6019 662 2929  Website : www.malaysia-adventuretours.com

Elephant Sanctuary Kuala Gandah +6019 662 2929  Website : www.malaysia-adventuretours.com

The wildlife rangers at Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary (KGES) has practice to capture elephants that raid village fields and move them to other areas to avoid conflicts. The rangers deploy tame elephants, trained in neighboring countries such as Thailand and Myanmar, to the jungle to calm down wild elephants before trucking them out.

For the past 30 years, more than 300 elephants has been relocated to safe havens.
The Asian Elephant is endangered; roughly 1000 or so wild animals remain in Peninsula Malaysia. The sanctuary is run by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) and is the base for the Elephant Relocation Team.
Elephant Sanctuary Kuala Gandah +6019 662 2929  Website : www.malaysia-adventuretours.com

Elephant Sanctuary Kuala Gandah +6019 662 2929  Website : www.malaysia-adventuretours.com

Elephant Sanctuary Kuala Gandah +6019 662 2929  Website : www.malaysia-adventuretours.com

Elephant Sanctuary Kuala Gandah +6019 662 2929  Website : www.malaysia-adventuretours.com

Lowland rainforest is elephant habitat. But this jungle habitat is under pressure from expanding rubber and oil palm plantations and human settlements. That means humans and wild animals clash sometimes. In the past wild elephants were poisoned and shot; now they are sent to protected areas like Taman Negara and forest reserves.

Conservation of these magnificent mammals is the primary function of the Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary. Public awareness of the issues related to translocation and research help to educate everyone on the efforts to protect critical habitats for these endangered rainforest animals.

Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary Activities

Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary is one of the best Eco tourism, nature tourism destination for family visit, be it Malaysian or worldwide visitors. Children of all ages enjoy riding elephants and further more life time experiences to be splashing around with an Elephant in the river. A shelter with tables and benches provides good picnic spots. And a few trees shade the riverbank to cool off the young and old. The afternoons are very hot and tiring, so protect little ones with sunscreen and hats, bring lots of water or move to the air-conditioned visitors centre for a heat break.


Register your self or your group at the visitors centre and re-check the program schedule for changes. There is not much else around the visitors centre, - no lodging and few refreshments - so be prepared. It's best to bring your own food and drink. A few stalls sell drinks and burgers on occasion and a small cafe operates nearby, but don't count on it to satisfy hungry crowds. T-shirts and other items are available at the souvenir shop.

Elephant Sanctuary Kuala Gandah +6019 662 2929  Website : www.malaysia-adventuretours.com

Elephant Sanctuary Kuala Gandah +6019 662 2929  Website : www.malaysia-adventuretours.com

Usually your program after arrival will start off with the 30-minute video in the AV room that shows the difficult process of trapping wild elephants and moving them to new locations. Also, take a few minutes to take in the displays and marvel at the skull size of an elephant species.

KGES is a popular destination on weekends and during school holidays. It can be getting really crowded during this period. if you are 2 to few person, that should be fine. But if you consist of a group numbers, it is always better to check and call your Travel Agent to pre-arrange the program at a suitable date.

Visitors are not charged a fee; instead a donation is sought for the Elephant Trust Fund. Usually we advise visitor to pay RM 20 - 30 per person. If you taking package, your pckage already inclusive of this Conservation Fee. 

Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary: Schedule

Visitor Information1:00 to 2:00 pmWatch the introduction video and visit the exhibition area.
Elephant Feeding2:00 to 2:30 pmKids feed the elephants fruit and vegetables while tethered under a covered shelter.
Elephant Rides2:30 to 3:00 pmRide the big jumbos for a short jaunt around the compound and get some good family photos.
Elephant Bathing3:00 to 3:30 pmGet wet with these wild creatures in the river and cool off and be sure to follow park staff instructions for a safe splash.
Picnic Break3:30 to 4:00 pmPack a lunch and rest a while by the river before heading out.

For Easy Booking for a Visit, you may contact ; 
Hotline 1  : +6019 662 2929 
Hotline 2  : +6019 237 6999 
or email   : klfong.bigtreemalaysia@gmail.com
Cost         : RM 220 nett/person (Min 2 person per booking)
                  Inclusive of return transfer on guided tour (SIC) English Speaking Driver 
                  + Conservation Fee 
                  + 1 Picnic Lunch


Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary is Open to Public
Daily from 8.30 am to 4.30 pm 
  • If you consist of Group ( 15 - 60 people) advance notice is required
  • In order in not disrupting the KGES Operations flows, all participants, Visistors                      are required to follow KGES's staff instructions at all times 
  • It is advisable to bring a set of clothes for change (restroom and showers available)                            as your are most likely will try to have an elephant ride and those who wanted to bath the elephant, rather bath together with the Elephant by having the Elephant dropping the who bunch of visitors on its back into the river, you need to have cloths to change
  • No accommodation available at the sanctuary

Getting There

  • From Kuala Lumpur proceed to the Karak Highway and then the East Coast Expressway
  • Exit at the Lanchang toll and come to a T-junction
  • Take a right turn and follow the signboards to Kuala Gandah
  • The tarmac road narrows over the last few kilometers, so drive slow
  • An Orang Asli settlement is at the end of the road just before reaching the sanctuary

Elephant Sanctuary Kuala Gandah Information


KUALA GANDAH ELEPHANT SANCTUARY TOUR LANCHANG, TEMERLOH, PAHANG MALAYSIA

             : www.malaysia-adventuretours.com 
Mobile     : +6 019 662 2929  

Kuala Gandah Elephant Conservation Centre, or popularly referred to as the Elephant Orphanage Sanctuary, is located within the bio diversified-rich and protected Krau Game Reserve & was set up in 1989 under the DWNP 
, manned by the Elephant Capture & Translocation Unit .
The Teris River acts as a natural border between the reserve and the Che' wong Orang Asli village - the last tribe of its kind found in Malaysia. The name Kuala Gandah is, itself, taken from the small stream running near the electric compound enclosure which houses the elephants during the day from 830am to 2pm before they are transferred to the roofed holding area.

Prior to this arrangement, the ECTU was a mobile operating team since its establishment in 1974 with a temporary base at the Jengka Pusat plantation where a huge area of jungle was carved to

make way for the planting of oil palm and rubber trees and given to poor families to work on as a means of eradicating poverty amongst the rural folk and to rid of subversive hideouts during the communist insurgency days in the 1970s.

The clearing of the jungles created consistent confrontations between the wild elephants and the settlers. The unit remained there until 1981 before it moved to Kuala Lompat on the north eastern side of Krau Game Reserve.

However, it must be noted that cutting down of the forests here are done for the overall benefit of the people of Malaysia within the poverty line and compared to any other countries in the world

- Malaysia has THE BEST record in forest preservation AND reforestation.

Find out the world's 10 BIGGEST CULPRITS that keep on warming up the fragile world and yet blames Malaysia for supposedly cutting down all the forests.

ECTU's dedicated and never ending function is to the continued protection and translocation of wild elephants, from areas where there is conflict between wild elephants and humans, into bigger and safer jungle reserves land while educating locals on the correct steps to protect their farms whilst supporting wildlife conservation.

This unit is one of its kind in the world where the possibilities of being charged or trampled by enraged wild elephants happens for 2/3 weeks every month! It is a thankless job where only a very tiny percentage of the general public is aware of the existence, dedication and sacrifices these magnificent men make every month in order to provide a win-win situation for both the wild elephants and the human planters!

Currently, there are 32 full time and 6 contracted staff working, living in and near the centre complete with housing facilities.

Water is supplied and piped in from the upper reaches of the cool, clear and clean Sungai Batu waterfalls which lies within the gazetted " Protected Areas " of the Krau Game Reserve while electricity supply is on a 24 hour basis.
Although the sanctuary was set up in late 1989, it was only in 1997 that the general Malaysian public and the world knew of its existence, thanks to the far sighted of a very good friend of the sanctuary, who is often referred to as The Elephant Man!

Not only did he suggested, created activities and led surprised visitors to this sanctuary, but unselfishly invited the media, tourist guides and travel agencies to see what the sanctuary has to offer as he realised that the sanctuary IS for everyone!

The rest, as they say....is history. If you do meet him here during one of his volunteering visits - feel free to ask anything there is about the sanctuary and elephants over a cup of tea and he will make your day a very unforgetable one for you! Be warned though - he will try his best to convince you to pass the good word around and get material donations for the ETCU!



For Easy Booking for a Visit, you may contact ; 
Hotline 1  : +6019 662 2929 
Hotline 2  : +6019 237 6999 
or email   : klfong.bigtreemalaysia@gmail.com
Cost        : RM 220 nett/person (Min 2 person per booking)
                Inclusive of return transfer on guided tour (SIC) 
                English Speaking Driver 
                + Conservation Fee 
                + 1 Picnic Lunch