5 Senses – Sight MAHOUTS |
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As I sat at a little wooden table in front of the tourist office in Tangkahan , perched high above the river , a magical moment unfolded . Two elephants came into view , ridden by their mahouts . They graciously glided through the emerald-green water carrying an air of poise and elegance with them . The relationship between an elephant and its keeper is one based on mutual trust and a special bond that is formed over time , involving strong emotional ties on both sides . |
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© Suwandi Chandra ; © Barry Kusuma |
really was . Sliding with an elephant – just the thought of it made me feel like I was taking on the world ! Next we crossed the river , which flowed very swiftly around the elephant ’ s legs , next reaching up to her belly , until soon it seemed only her floppy ears were visible .
“ Elephant riding income is what helps feed the 13 elephants that we care for , and it pays their health-care bills ,” my mahout explained . “ These are rescue elephants . Some were maimed ( by illegal hunters ), some were orphaned , and some were rescued from inhumane treatment in work camps . Elephant riding is our best source of income and , without it , how would we survive ?” Decisions about raising funds through offering elephant rides ( which is conducted with great care here ) and other conservation efforts and strategies are carefully considered and implemented by the Conservation Response Unit ( CRU ) in conjunction with local communities and NGOs , including some grass-roots organisations .
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One of these independent organisations is RAW Wildlife Encounters , whose director , Jessica McKelson , long ago fell in love with the village of Tangkahan and its people . She decided to work with the local villagers to find a way for them to make a living that was both sustainable and legal . At that time , 13 years ago , the village ’ s tourism potential was untapped . Over the years , RAW Wildlife Encounters has helped to develop a variety of sustainable community and conservation programmes to support Tangkahan ’ s development as an ecotourism destination .
A new programme sends out team patrols to monitor the buffer zone around the Tangkahan forests , which borders the Gunung Leuser National Park . This includes visits to four communities . One activity is to remove snares from the community side of the national park and educate the villages on alternative livelihood practices . The ranger team of 10 men from Tangkahan act as role models for other communities addressing conservation and sustainable living .
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Saat saya duduk di meja kayu kecil di depan kantor pelayanan wisatawan di Tangkahan yang berlokasi jauh di atas sungai , satu momen luar biasa terjadi . Terlihat di kejauhan dua ekor gajah dengan pawang yang menungganginya . Gajahgajah itu tampak anggun melintasi air berwarna hijau zamrud . Hubungan antara gajah dan pawangnya berdasarkan saling percaya dan rasa kedekatan pun terbentuk dari waktu ke waktu , melibatkan ikatan emosional yang kuat pada kedua pihak . |