Elephants and Osteopathy

Rupert Pusey has been working with Tony Nevin (of Zoost) to help the elephants of the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation.

This Foundation is in the northern part of Thailand where it abuts Laos and Myanmar.  From 100,000 in 1910, with the destruction of habitat and hunting,  there are now about three thousand elephants left in Thailand,  half of which are in captivity .

The aim of the foundation is to reduce the drive to keep elephants captive and encourage the population to live in harmony with their enormous wild neighbours. To this end the foundation provides many  elephant related services.  It has a full time vet there dividing the time between addressing ailments and involvement with research into elephant behaviour. They are extraordinarily collaborative animals - we could learn something from them!

Some of the work here involves education - elephant experiences are provided for the locals and tourists to show how we can live in harmony with a wild elephant population.

Education is vital for the next generation and a school has been established for the sons of mahouts in an attempt to discourage them from continuing the family business which has little future since the ban on logging teak. With academic achievement, their options for employment and  earning potential is greater in occupations which do not involve captive elephants.

Another example of their work is their support for watchtowers where wild elephant activity is monitored and clashes with Thai settlements can be avoided through a warning system.

Rupert's contribution to the foundation has been to use his osteopathic skills to help elephants with their musculoskeletal problems. This can include anything from accidents with cars, old logging injuries, wear and tear of old age and even making a connection with an orphaned baby elephant to share in its grieving process. The satisfaction from treating these amazing animals is huge and their sensitivity and emotional complexity makes any interaction very much a two way street.

Rupert Pusey and Tony Nevin