Thailand's Elephants Get Birth Control Jab

In a pioneering conservation effort, Thailand has administered contraceptive vaccines to wild elephants for the first time. Wildlife authorities and a veterinary team recently gave the injections to three female elephants in southeastern Trat province using a dart gun. This initiative seeks to manage the rapidly growing wild elephant population, which has seen an eight percent annual birth rate increase in five eastern provinces.

The decision stems from concerns over escalating human-elephant conflict, which has tragically resulted in nearly 200 human fatalities and over 100 elephant deaths since 2012. Wild elephant numbers have nearly doubled from 334 in 2015 to approximately 800 last year. The administered vaccine has previously undergone successful testing on captive elephants.

The three recently vaccinated elephants are reported to be in good health and living normally. Conservation officials plan to conduct follow-up blood checks every six months to monitor their condition. An additional 15 doses are slated for use on other elephant herds before the onset of the rainy season in May.