Xang Phu Noy was the first baby elephant born at the Elephant Conservation Center’s nursery in Sayaboury and as such he is a very special addition to our family living at the Center. Most elephant births take place during the night with labour taking up to six hours, as such the filming of elephant births are extremely rare. The birth of Xang Phu Noy was no different with mother Mae Thongkhoun showing no signs of labour; Noy arrived under the cover of darkness on 25 October 2011.

The name ‘Noy’ means small in Lao language and is the traditional nickname given to all baby elephants until the age of three, before they are given their official name. Official names are chosen by each individual elephant which takes place during animist ceremony, when several pieces of sugarcane are especially carved with different Lao names, the name carved on the length of sugarcane chosen by the elephant is the name given to the animal.

A growing number of elephants currently resides at the Center, this includes Mae Boungnor and her calf Xang Mae Noy, a female born over one year ago. Mae Boungnor is sister to Mae Thongkhoun and as such the two of them along with their calves are inseparable. Xang Phu Noy nurses from both his mother and Aunty Mae Boungnor drinking up to 10 litres of milk a day. The two cousin calves are extremely friendly and often play together.

Mae Thongkhoun and her then unborn baby joined the Elephant Conservation Center in August 2011 through the ‘Baby Bonus’ programme implemented by ElefantAsia. The father of Xang Phu Noy is a wild elephant from Nam Phouy National Protected Area. Traditionally, elephants from Thongmixay District, where Mae Thongkhoun is from, are released into surrounding forest whilst their owners are busy planting rice paddy during the rainy season. This often results in the female elephants becoming pregnant by roaming wild bulls. Thongkhoun’s mahout Mr Amkha decided to join the Center and receive a breeding incentive package rather than staying at home with no revenue during the final months of gestation and throughout weaning. As such Mae Thongkhoun and Xang Phu Noy can stay at the Elephant Conservation Center for a minimum of 30 months.

Under the ElefantAsia Elephant Adoption scheme Xang Phu Noy has become an ambassador for the working elephants across Laos. By adopting Noy you have supported the average cost to provide care to one elephant for a whole year.

ElefantAsia will endeavour to keep your chosen elephant fit and well. However providing free veterinary care to sick and injured elephants across Laos can be costly. The organisation will never leave a sick or injured animal untreated and as such our organisation will use funds raised through sponsorships to provide medicine for elephants other than those under the adoption programme. This can include the cost of our field missions (excluding staff salaries), fuel, medicines and the provision of an Elephant First Aid Kit per working elephant, this being given to the elephant’s mahout along with basic training on how to use its contents.

Thank you for your valuable contribution to the conservation of the Asian elephant in Laos.

Photograph of Xang Phu Noy by Adeline Bret, ElefantAsia

WORKING TO IMPROVE THEWELFARE OF ASIAN ELEPHANTSIN LAO PDR

www.elefantasia.orgwww.elephantconservationcenter.com

Xang Phu Noy

Pictured is Xang Mae N

oy cousin to Xang Phu Noy