Atruckstopsinfrontofalarge,open-airtent.Elephantsstandundertheshadeoftrees.Mahoutscaretakersoftheelephants,unloadspikyvinesfromthetruck.WeareattheThaiElephantConservationCenter(TECC)innorthernThailand.Thesevineswillbemadeintoherbalmedicineforthe elephants.

IfirstcametoTECCin2017asaguideforstudentgroups.Inoticedmanyinterestingthings.TECChadoneofthemostadvancedelephanthospitalsintheworld.Oneofthewaystheytreatedelephantswaswithherbalmedicine.SinceIamanethnobotanist, thisappealedtome.Istudythewaysthatpeopleuseplants.Iknewthatplant-basedmedicineandbiomedicine(or“Western”medicine)aren’toftenfound together.

Next,Inoticedtheelephants’interestintheirherbalmedicine.Iknewthatelephantslovesweetfoods.Sweetcornandsugarcanearefavoritesnackshere.But,elephantswillalsoeatspikyvines,althoughtheyareverybitter.Spikyvinesarepowerfulmedicine.Didtheelephantsknowthiswasmedicine?Ayearandahalflater,IreturnedtoThailandtotrytofind answers.

ElephantshavelivedamongpeopleforthousandsofyearsinThailand.IdecidedtoworkwithagroupofpeoplecalledtheKaren.TheyliveinthemountainsofThailandandtheneighboringcountryof Myanmar.

TheKarenarefamousforworkingwithelephants.Howdidthisbondbegin?Onestorytellsofhowtheelephantwasoriginallyhuman.Thenitlostitshumanity.Itbecameahelperof humankind.

Elephantsplayedaroleinnearlyeverypartoflifehere.Theyknewtheforest.So,theywerethebestwaytotravellongdistances 
over land. 

Theirstrengthallowedthemtomoveheavyobjectslikelogs.Butascarsandmachinesreplacedthem,theelephants’usefulnesshasfallen.Also,aftercenturiesoftoomuchlogging,forestsbecamethreatened.In1989,loggingwas banned.