BANGKOK, Thailand – A newborn female wild elephant named “Nong Kumpa” has been welcomed at Sap Langka Wildlife Sanctuary in Lopburi province, in a development described by officials as encouraging progress for Thailand’s conservation efforts. The calf, now seven days old, is the sixth offspring of “Mae Ple,” a former domesticated elephant released under the Return Elephants to Nature Project.
According to caregivers, the calf is healthy and remains under her mother’s attentive care in the sanctuary’s forest habitat. Officials view the birth as further evidence that reintroduced elephants are adapting well and reproducing in the wild.
The Return Elephants to Nature Project was launched in 2004 under the royal guidance of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother, through cooperation between the Return Elephants to Nature Foundation and the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation. The program supports the transition of domesticated elephants into protected natural areas.
From an initial group of six elephants, the population at Sap Langka has grown to 71. Authorities said the steady increase highlights measurable progress in elephant conservation and sustainable forest management in Thailand. (NNT)
