A tribute to the last wild elephants in Bangladesh
In an exclusive interview with The Business Standard, renowned wildlife photographer and mountain climber Larry Laverty discusses the plight of elephants in Bangladesh
Asian elephants are critically endangered in Bangladesh, with roughly 250 of them remaining in separate herds, a 2016 study found.
Elephants, along with American bison, are the centrepieces of Laurence Arthur Laverty alias Larry Laverty's photographic and conservation efforts. When the renowned wildlife photographer and mountain climber visited Bangladesh last month to feature the country's last wild elephants, Laverty said what he saw during his travels broke his heart.
Sultan Ahmed recently caught up with Laverty to get his insights into the plight of the country's elephants.
What sparked your passion for wildlife?
I have enjoyed a deep respect for animals of all kinds since my early childhood. I used to follow butterflies to see where they went. Then, in my adult years, I began learning of all the terrible things that human beings were doing to animals — wild and captive. I just had to do something to try and stop the evil as much as possible.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Why did you choose to focus on elephants in particular?
My focus on the welfare of elephants was none of my doing. I had no choice in the matter. It may seem odd to the common human being, but they spoke to me. In the fall of 2013, I learned of the first Global March for Elephants and participated. I had never marched or protested anything in public before that in my life. In time, I learned about elephants, and spent months of my life in the wild with them, photographing and noting what I was observing. Along the way, I have had several incredible encounters with them, encounters that only won my heart over further.
What drew you to work on elephant conservation in Bangladesh?
In preparation for my second book on elephants, I have visited 10 of the 13 elephant range countries of Asia so far. Throughout this project, I had been curious about the welfare of elephants in Bangladesh but had no success in making contact with a person who could assist me in locating and witnessing the country's wild and captive elephants.
Finally, following months of reaching out to local tour guides and scientists, I made contact with Sultan Ahmed. What I saw during my travels throughout Bangladesh with Sultan broke my heart and I then knew I wanted to remain alert to any opportunities to help the elephants of Bangladesh.
Can you describe the current situation of elephants and their habitats in Bangladesh?
Regarding the captive elephants in Bangladesh, I hope that they receive better treatment in future. While a few appeared to be doing well in their lives alongside humans, others were clearly either abused or largely neglected.
Regarding the state of wild elephants who call Bangladesh home, I have lost a fair amount of sleep over what I witnessed. The human population continues its reach into the hills and valleys of wildlands, creating a path of destruction in the name of human interests. Where the habitat for elephants and other wildlife once stood, farms and pastures now dominate.
With each passing day, the elephants are forced to live in smaller and smaller areas, and in their search for food are facing increasing conflict with the humans who have taken over their former habitat. The shape of this conflict is horrifying as elephants are assaulted from all sides by humans throwing rocks, blasting horns, waving torches, and firing explosives. Several elephants in recent years have been shot dead. There is no formal count of the death rows!
What are the major threats facing elephants in Bangladesh?
Humanity poses all the major threats that elephants face. The human population of the country, or should I say overpopulation of the country, is the root of the problem. There are simply too many people looking to make a living off of a land that was once incredibly biodiverse. As mentioned, the elephants, those few 200-plus who have survived, have had their homes taken away, including all sense of security and sources of food and water.
Human-elephant conflict, as I have witnessed, is as intense as in any other place I've witnessed in Asia. With the resulting stresses and fragmentation of elephant populations, I see a grim future for elephants in Bangladesh.
What are the unique challenges of elephant conservation in Bangladesh?
Wildlife, especially elephants, face challenges from a rural population that has little to no perception of conservation. While the government may have good intentions by creating a Forest Department and identifying conservation programs to support, there is little to no funding making its way to the implementation of conservation efforts in Bangladesh.
Leadership, with few exceptions, is sorely absent. Law enforcement of the common public good is also absent. And while a few NGOs have demonstrated good intentions, I saw no meaningful results during my time in the country.
How do local communities perceive elephants in Bangladesh?
As in other countries throughout Asia, I witnessed a general curiosity and respect for elephants by the common people. There is reason for hope. While local communities may carry a superficial appreciation of the elephant, their day-to-day relationship with the animals demonstrates something quite different.
Residents' animosity toward elephants is heightened in agricultural areas, especially during harvest time. Given the number of elephants who have lost their lives, been wounded, or are threatened daily, there's a lot to be done in patching up the relationship between humans and elephants. Some kind of far-reaching education program in addition to supplying some means of mitigating the threats is needed.
What strategies are being employed to foster coexistence between elephants and humans in Bangladesh?
I saw next to nothing being done by anyone, public or private, to generate coexistence. The one approach I did come across was the ERTs — the Elephant Response Teams. While these volunteers deserve great appreciation for their good intentions, the members need to be provided with the tools necessary to carry out their tasks. These tools begin with thorough training on the nature of elephants and the nature of humans. Given that their intentions are so revolutionary and require a re-programming of residents, the support of law enforcement officials is key.
What role can the international community play in supporting elephant conservation in Bangladesh?
The problems facing elephants and humans in Bangladesh are not new. They have been taking place throughout Asia everywhere elephants have managed to survive. I believe that some of the same methods effectively taking place in other countries could be applied in Bangladesh. By one means or another, a sharing of experience and information could take efforts in Bangladesh a long way. Aside from knowledge, another obvious means of support can come from the generosity of the international community financially.
Have you observed collaborations between NGOs, local communities, and government agencies in elephant conservation efforts in Bangladesh?
This subject again recalls the ERT's. The fact that there are so many people who do care about the well-being of elephants and are willing to stand up for them indicates, it has far-fetching potential. These efforts by the ERTs must be more robust, or their presence on the scene of HEC would remain merely window-dressing.
What recommendations would you propose to enhance elephant conservation in Bangladesh?
The world and the population of elephants living in Bangladesh need the drive and intelligence of youth like you. Leadership, inspiration, guidance, mitigation, and the reclamation of former elephant habitat all can be provided by one man. And with the efforts of conservation champions, other individuals will feel emboldened to come forward and join in the effort. Unlike lions, tigers, and leopards, elephants are not a predator, a killer of other living things. The elephant is the favourite of a vast number of humans, and for good reason. We simply need to tap into this universal appreciation.
