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The Elephant Park
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Today we had no class, so we took an outing to an elephant conservation centre with Dr. McCloud and his wife. Some of the other Fulbrighters located in the KL area came along for the day - most are either teaching or working on graduate research at University Malaya or one of the other local universities.
The bus trip was two hours each way, but worth it. The centre is located in Kuala Padang, which is tucked deep in the forest north of KL. Elephants are not native there, but have been brought in from other parts of Malaysia and Thailand where human development degrades their natural habitat. The five elephants kept on-site in Kuala Padang create a significant revenue stream from tourists and school groups. Park officials also train elephants here for use in the relocation of other elephants from damaged areas.
To capture a wild elephant for relocation, national park officials tranquilize the elephants, then chain their legs together. They then inject the elephant with an antidote to the tranquilizer and wait for it to awaken. When the elephant wakes up, it is often disoriented and aggressive. To help calm these animals, officials bring along "helper elephants" to accompany the team and soothe those that are newly captured. Apparently, the company of trained elephants reduces the anxiety of captive elephants and greatly decreases the risk of panic attacks and violent reactions.
The tourism program at Kuala Padang park is really incredible coming from a Western perspective. America is such a litigious society that we are unconditionally risk-averse, perhaps to a fault. People are not quite so concerned about such things here. At 2 o'clock at Kuala Padang, the park employees put out huge baskets of watermelon, papaya and other fruits which we hand-fed to the elephants. We rode the elephants along a short circle on land, and then in an adjacent stream. This is where the park people are really clever. The elephants are trained to carry people out to the middle of the stream, then lie down on their side so the passengers get dumped into the water. Elephants have never seemed quite so big as when swimming alongside one! What beautiful animals.
We took the bus back to KL and later went to the "Saturday market" located near Little India. This was worlds better than our previous market experience in Chinatown. It was still crowded, but nowhere near the Patpong-like frenzy on Petaling Street. And the food... fresh giant mangoes, air cendol (cendol drink), pita ayam (grilled chicken pita) and roti john: imagine an omelette on a sugary baguette with barbecue sauce. People were wonderfully friendly, partially due I think to our improving Bahasa skills. It was really nice, and I think we will be back next Saturday.
Now reading: The Bookseller of Kabul by Asne Seierstad
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