Dr. Tharaka Prasad, Veterinary Surgeon of the Department of Wildlife Conservation, and Mr. S. S. K. Seelaratne, Curator of the Elephant Orphanage at Pinnawela left last week for Thailand as guests of the Friends of the Asian Elephant, an elephant conservation organisation in that country.

They will visit the elephant training camp in Lampang, the elephant hospital and will also observe the operation of a mobile hospital for elephants run by FAE.

Their visit to Thailand is a result of the National Symposium on Elephant Management and Conservation held at the BMICH in May this year, following which a network of enthusiasts was formed by the organisers of the symposium, Prof. Charles Santiapillai and Jayantha Jayawardena. The Chairman/Founder of FAE, Thailand, Ms. Soraida Salwala attended the symposium.

After the symposium was held, a Biodiversity and Elephant Conservation Trust was formed as a base for the operation of the different programmes related to elephant conservation. The trust will work in consultation with the Department of Wildlife Conservation.