First mobile elephant clinic launched

BANGKOK, Feb 24 (TNA) -- The Zoological Park Organisation has recently launched the country's first mobile elephant clinic, aimed to take care of elephants' health at Surin Elephant Kingdom. Acting Deputy Director of the Zoological Park Suriya Saengphong said that currently there are no veterinaries working at the Surin Elephant Kingdom project, located in Surin province, prompting the clinic to be set up. He said the private sector has given its support by providing two 4-wheel vehicles for the clinic to use in taking care of 180 elephants residing at the Surin Elephant Kingdom and another 50 living in the Boonrod Elephant Sanctuary in Sukhothai province, as well as other elephants in need of immediate help in the area. Mr Suriya further said that within the next two years, an elephant hospital is also planned to be established in the elephant kingdom, which would be able to treat elephants located in the area and nearby provinces, where two vets would be permanent stationed at the said hospital. He added that veterinarians are being provided from the Department of Livestock Development and various universities, while local farmers have been giving support by planting grass instead of rice to earn their income and provide more food for the elephant at the same time. (TNA)