BANGKOK (The Nation/Asia News Network): Among the more than 4,000 elephants in Thailand, two hold a special honour: both were born using artificial insemination in a bid to protect the species and maintain the country's biodiversity.
According to the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation as of March 9 this year, between 4,013 and 4,422 elephants lived in 91 national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and non-hunting areas across Thailand.
However, the destruction of habitat and insufficient food sources were having a significant impact on elephants' health and reducing their numbers.
That led to the launch in 2002 of a project to freeze elephant semen to be used in artificial insemination.
The project, which came to fruition through the collaboration of the Zoological Park Organisation, Kasetsart University's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre, saw two elephants being born through artificial insemination – Plai Prathom Somphop and Saen Rak.
The male, Plai Prathom Somphop, was born on March 7, 2007, about two years after its mother, Phang Chord, received artificial insemination on June 8-10, 2005.
The elephant was named by King Bhumibol on Oct 6, 2009. It also has the nickname “AI” representing its status as the first born to artificial insemination in Thailand.
Plai Prathom Somphop played an important role in leading 29 elephants to participate in the ceremony to mourn the death of King Bhumibol on Oct 31, 2016.
Now 16, he lives in the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre in Lampang.
Saen Rak, a female, was born on Oct 8, 2018, about two years after its mother, Pang Chim, received artificial insemination on Dec 26-28, 2016.
Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi recently celebrated the elephant’s 5th birthday with a big cake made of vegetables and fruits, such as banana, sugarcane, corn, watermelon, guava, dragon fruit, carrot, pumpkin and napier grass.
The zoo allowed tourists, especially kids, to make a birthday wish for Saen Rak, whose name means “beloved” in Thai.
The project is continuing with other protected species, such as the eastern sarus crane, white rhinoceros, the tapir, Fea's muntjac, the serow, the clouded leopard, the marbled cat, the fishing cat, the Asian golden cat, and the goral.
The aim is to prevent further extinction of animals in Thailand, which has seen the disappearance of Schomburgk's deer, the Javan rhinoceros, the Sumatran rhinoceros and the kouprey.
