A public hearing on an elephant birth control vaccine, hosted by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, sparked a heated debate today.
Representatives of the House committee charged with solving problems caused by elephants, the research team of the “SpayVac” vaccine, wildlife experts and villagers affected by invasive elephants were invited to attend the hearing.
The department head, Atthaphon Charoenchansa, said that the hearing was aimed at finding a reasonable solution to the problems caused by elephants through the trial use of a vaccine for birth control to curb their population, currently numbering more than 4,400 across the country.
Photo: Atthaphon Charoenchansa
He said that the vaccine, SpayVac, is just an option, already approved by the Elephant Board, adding that it has been tested on seven domesticated elephants during the past year and is to be put on trial in wild elephants in the eastern forests this month.
He also offered an assurance that only 20 doses will be used, but that the department has not yet ordered the mass shipment of the vaccine.
Atthaphon maintains that there is a need to reduce the number of elephants venturing out of their habitats to forage for food in human settlements, causing damage to property and farm land.
During the debate, Chaiwat Limlikhitaksorn, former director of the National Park Division, said that he does not reject option, but doubts that the vaccine, which is about 8,000 baht per dose, is worth the money.
Photo: Chaiwat Limlikhitaksorn
He also spoke about the dangers posed to the officials who have to administer the vaccine and to the animals themselves.
He noted that birth control is not the right approach to preventing elephants from venturing out of their habitats, adding that the department should reclaim the land around those habitats, which is being occupied by humans.
Meanwhile Associate Professor Chatchote Thitaram, of the Elephant and Wildlife Health Centre at the Faculty of Veterinary at Chiang Mai University, said that the vaccine has been widely used on several species of wildlife.
He said vets used darts to administer the vaccine to the seven domesticated elephants during the trial period and the elephants have not developed any complications.
Dr Supakit Vinitpornsawan, director of the centre to help people affected by wildlife, disclosed that 39 people were killed and 34 were injured by animal attacks last year. 1,638 farmers had their crops and property damaged by elephants.
Although the casualties and damage are limited, he noted that delaying the vaccine trials will have more serious consequences, given that the population of elephants in the eastern forests is increasing by 7% annually.
