Kuala Gandah
The Base For The Team That Moves Wild Elephants Out Of Conflict Areas And Which Stopped Its Own Bathing And Riding Programme After Criticism · Lanchang, Pahang
KUALA GANDAH IS NOT A ZOO AND IT IS NOT A SANCTUARY IN THE SENSE PEOPLE USUALLY MEAN. IT IS THE OPERATIONAL BASE FOR MALAYSIA'S ELEPHANT TRANSLOCATION TEAM - the unit that goes out when a wild herd ends up in a plantation or a village, sedates them, and MOVES THEM TO PROTECTED FOREST rather than letting them be shot. Hundreds have been relocated since 1974. The elephants you see at the centre are the ones that CANNOT BE RELEASED: orphans, injured animals, and the trained elephants that help with the captures. THE CENTRE USED TO OFFER BATHING AND RIDING AND IT STOPPED, after sustained criticism about welfare and about what those activities teach visitors - WHICH IS A GENUINELY GOOD THING AND WORTH KNOWING. What is left is a viewing and education visit, which disappoints people who came for a photograph and is exactly the point. Registration is required and numbers are capped, arrangements have changed more than once, and the centre closes when the team is out in the field doing its actual job.
National Elephant Conservation Centre, Kuala Gandah, Pahang, Lanchang, Pahang, Malaysia
KUALA GANDAH IS ABOUT TWO HOURS FROM KUALA LUMPUR, near LANCHANG on the road toward Kuantan. VISITS ARE FREE BUT REGISTRATION OR BOOKING IS REQUIRED and DAILY NUMBERS ARE CAPPED - arrangements have changed more than once, so CHECK BEFORE DRIVING OUT rather than turning up. THE CENTRE OPENS TO VISITORS AROUND A SET AFTERNOON PROGRAMME rather than all day, with a video, a talk and supervised viewing at feeding. BATHING AND RIDING NO LONGER TAKE PLACE and asking for them is not welcome. DO NOT TOUCH OR FEED THE ELEPHANTS except where staff explicitly direct it. THE CENTRE CLOSES ON SOME DAYS AND DURING TRANSLOCATION OPERATIONS, when the team is in the field. It is hot and humid; there is shade at the viewing areas.