Elephant Caretaker Village, The giant on our hands.

The forest area in Thailand has reduced from 80 percent in 1957 to approximately less than 20 percent in 1992, largely because of deforestation associated with inappropriate developments. Although logging was banned in 1989, 70 percent of the forest area had already disappeared, and illegal logging continues. Shifting cultivation by tribal villagers, dam and road constructions, even gas pipelines, eucalyptus and pineapple plantations, as well as resort developments in forest reserve areas, have all added to the devastation. These inappropriate developments continue to deprive elephants of their natural habitat and feeding grounds, force them to migrate into dangerous areas, and lead to conflicts between elephants seeking food and plantation owners - such conflicts usually end with more elephants being poisoned or killed.