BANGKOK, Jan 20 (TNA) – Thailand is exploring the use of contraceptive vaccines to manage its growing wild elephant population and reduce conflicts with humans, a move that has drawn mixed reactions from conservationists and local communities.
The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) held a public hearing on Jan. 19 to gather feedback on a proposed trial of the contraceptive vaccine, which aims to address the increasing number of elephants venturing outside protected areas and damaging crops and property.
The meeting was attended by academics, wildlife experts, community representatives affected by human-elephant conflict, elephant advocacy groups, and members of a parliamentary committee on elephant management.
Chaiwat Limlikitaksorn, former director of the National Park Office, expressed skepticism, questioning the accuracy of the DNP’s elephant population estimates, which range from 4,013 to 4,422, a difference of over 400. He also raised concerns about the limited testing of the vaccine, with only seven captive female elephants having received a single dose in a preliminary study conducted with Chiang Mai University’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in April 2024. Each dose is said to provide seven years of contraception.
It’s too early to determine its effectiveness and safety, Chaiwat said, adding that the estimated cost of 8,000 baht ($230) per dose was misdirected funding. He advocated for stronger physical barriers, such as fences, and securing more suitable habitats and food sources within protected areas.
However, community representatives from five eastern provinces bordering protected forests voiced support for the contraceptive trial, hoping it would curb the elephant birth rate.
They confirmed that over the past 5-6 years, a large number of elephants have been venturing outside the forest, and some have permanently adapted to living outside, giving birth and raising their young in the middle of sugarcane fields.
“Even if it takes up to 10 years to see a noticeable decline in the elephant population after starting the trial this year, it’s still better than doing nothing,” said a representative.
Noei Sukprasert, a sugarcane farmer from Prachinburi described extensive crop damage caused by elephants and highlighted the more serious issue of human injuries and fatalities, with three deaths reported in his community.
He urged elephant advocates to witness the villagers’ plight, emphasizing that they are not encroaching on elephant habitat, but rather the elephants are entering their communities.
DNP Director-General Atthaphon Charoenchansa explained that the department is following guidelines set by the national committee on elephant conservation and management, which include six key strategies: habitat management and improvement, establishing elephant barriers, deploying monitoring and repulsion teams with community networks, providing compensation to affected individuals, and managing areas for elephants exhibiting aggressive behavior.
He stressed that the contraceptive vaccine program is a priority of Natural Resources and Environment Minister Chalermchai Sri-on, aimed at addressing the rapid population growth in areas where existing habitats are insufficient.
The DNP will report the feedback gathered at the hearing to the parliamentary committee for further discussion, addressing public concerns and clarifying implementation guidelines. If approved, the existing 18 doses of the vaccine will be administered to elephants already living outside protected areas. The results will then be evaluated before further action is taken.
The Wildlife Conservation Office estimates an 8.2% annual increase in the elephant population in the five eastern provinces, with the current population estimated at 592. This is projected to double in the next 10 years, exacerbating human-elephant conflict. Culling and relocation are deemed unsuitable in the Thai context. The DNP believes that using the SpayVac® contraceptive vaccine, which has been used in African elephants for over 10 years with no reported adverse effects on elephant behavior or social dynamics, offers a balanced approach to managing the population and mitigating conflict. Strict implementation guidelines will be established before the program begins. -819 (TNA)
