An elephant wanders among the stalls of a market, overthrowing baskets of fruit and vegetables. It is not a film, but an increasingly frequent reality in Thailand, where the coexistence between these kind giants and man is becoming increasingly difficult.
The cause? An elephant “baby boom”, combined with progressive disappearance of their natural habitat. If on the one hand the growth of the population of Asian elephants (species classified in the process of extinction in 2008), which today has almost 4,500 specimens throughout the state, is a Success for conservation effortsOn the other hand, he created a paradoxical situation: Too many elephants in an increasingly restricted space.
The Thai forests, once the undisputed kingdom of the pachyderms Elephas Maximusare being reduced by eye, devoured by urban and agricultural expansion. Sugar cane fields and other crops, rich in calories and easy to reach, have become an irresistible temptation for elephants, which increasingly abandon protected areas in search of food.
The result is an increasingly heated conflict with local communities: devastated fields, damaged houses and, unfortunately, also fatal accidents. In 2024, 4,700 episodes of conflict in Eastern Forest have been recordedwith a tragic balance of 19 victims, 594 damaged agricultural land, 67 damaged properties and 22 injured among the local population.
The solution (controversial): a “pill” for elephants
Faced with this explosive situation, the Thai government has decided to adopt a drastic and unprecedented measure in Asia: the administration of a contraceptive to a group of elephants.
The goal is not to completely stop reproduction, but slow it down. The chosen drug, already experienced in South Africa on African elephants, is called Spyvac. It is a vaccine that, once injected, prevents fertilization for a period of seven years. The basis of the operation of the vaccine is based on the use of liposomes. The latter are spheres, made with the same material as a cell membrane, used to provide antigens for vaccines, such as the PZP, in the case of Spayvac.
The experimentation, which will start by the end of the year, It will involve about 20 females who have already had puppies. The veterinarians will monitor the animals carefully, to verify the effectiveness of the contraceptive and the possible appearance of side effects.
The initiative of the Thai government has aroused a heated debate. On the one hand, there are those who consider it an innovative and necessary solution to manage an emergency situation. On the other, there are criticism and concerns. Some activists fear that the contraceptive may have long -term negative effects on elephant healthwhile others underline that the basic problem remains the destruction of their habitat.
Second TAAN WANNAGULresearcher of theEastern Elephants Education Centerthe solution cannot ignore a Improvement of the living conditions of elephants in the forests and by greater collaboration with local communities.
Beyond the “pill”
The “pill” for elephants is only one of the measures that the Thai government is putting on the field to face the problem. Monitoring networks are being enhanced, building physical barriers and instituting bearing areas in the most critical areas. The introduction of economic incentives for Encourage farmers to reduce the size of the plantations more exposed to the elephant attacks And to compensate the workers of the rubber plantations, who often work at night, when the risk of meetings with the pachyderms is greater.
The challenge is to find a Balance between the conservation of a symbolic species of Thailand and the protection of local communities. Will Thailand be able to find the right formula?
