The Karnali Gorge and Wild Elephant Quest
Nepal 2001
Background to the expedition
There are only about 100 wild
elephants left in Nepal. These are
survivors of once great herds that roamed the North Indian plains and the flat
grasslands or Terai of Nepal. Now they are sandwiched between the ever-growing population
of India, which increases at 1 million people a month, and the towering
Himalayas. The conservation of
these elephants is high priority.
When
the Scientific Exploration Society (SES) did their first expedition in 1991,
only 2 elephants were recorded, Raja Gaj and Kancha.
Now, partly due to our work here, increased protection has led to some 45
elephants making their home here.
The
Nepalese elephants are of exceptional size with striking head domes, especially
in the older males. Thanks to the
previous expeditions to this area these giant creatures have become a flagship
for the conservation of the area�s wildlife, including the rare Bengal tiger
and the one-horned Indian rhino.
To
reach this wildlife sanctuary you walk for three days, then raft the Karnali
River, Nepal�s longest and
largest river. With its tributaries, the Karnali flows through narrow steep
sided canyons to drain most of western Nepal.
The rapids of the Karnali are among the most impressive in the Himalayas.
Eventually
the river leaves its gorge and flows gently through a wide inhabited valley
flanked by dark forests that are home to the Raji or Raute people, rarely seen
hunter gatherers.
Highlights of the Project
Riding
tame elephants, and using photographs and sketches, the expedition teams will
document as many as possible of the Bardia wild elephant population, making a
record of age, sex, height and condition.
Grouping
of animals will also be recorded; female groups with youngsters and
�bachelor� groups of adult males to assess the population and establish
benchmarks for an assessment of births and deaths in the future.
The
people living around the reserve suffer greatly from the raids by elephants on
their crops. The giant elephants have destroyed houses in their quest for salt,
causing many casualties. However
because elephants are sacred and regarded as a reincarnation of the god Ganesh,
the villagers do little to protect themselves.
School
books, reading glasses, medical supplies and other items of aid will be provided
for the villages to encourage locals to protect the elephants and deny access to
poachers.
Do you need special skills?
Not really, but if you have special skills, we can
talk about how to apply medical expertise and other assets to any expedition.
Above all we look for enthusiasm and compatibility.
If you have an interest in photography, sketching, birds, botany or
wildlife this will be useful.
How easy is it?
You must be physically fit, healthy and able to swim.
For the majority of the expedition we will be using domestic elephants as
transport, though some walking will be necessary.
Accommodation will be comfortable, under canvas with camp beds in the
park.
London Briefing Weekend 30 September � 1
October
You
will receive an information pack when you join the team, and welcome to join our
gathering in England to discuss the expedition in depth and answer any queries.
The weekend is relaxed, informal and an excellent opportunity to get to
know your fellow team members.
Who is leading the Expedition?
Choose from two expeditions to Nepal in 2001:
Karnali Gorge Expedition
We
fly from London to Kathmandu on the 17th February and on to Nepalganj.
From there we begin with a 3-day walk to the Karnali River, then one week
rafting down the river to reach Bardia where we will spend 9 days before flying
back to Kathmandu and the UK on the 11th March.
The cost of the expedition from London is $6,475.
Raja Gaj Expedition
We
fly from London to Kathmandu on the 9th March and on to Nepalganj and
Bardia the following day where we will spend 9 days tracking wild elephants on
elephant back before flying back to Kathmandu and the UK on the 23rd
March. The cost of this expedition
from London is $5585.
Both
expeditions will take some community aid to local villages
What�s included in Costs for Nepal
Elephant expeditions
The costs for both expeditions include return airfare London to
Kathmandu, all accommodation, transport, food, a briefing weekend and
comprehensive insurance. You must add airfare to London RT if you live in the
USA or you can organize your own flight direct to Kathmandu and this will be
deducted from the overall costs.
The
next step:
Contact
[email protected]
or
Melissa Dice at Expedition Base, Motcombe, Shaftesbury, Dorset, ENGLAND SP7 9PB
or [email protected]
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