Working Elephants: working elephants in Nepal

Meena Chowdery (30) became elephant handler few months ago. Like her female colleague, Meena applied for mahout's job because it is a government position. Before she joined the stable she never worked with animals. A month ago her elephant Pojee run away from the stable and never returned. Elephant stable, Hattisar Soura, has 16 elephants and 30 handlers. Among elephant handlers there are also two female handlers. It is the state run stable and the government appoints all employees. The stable caters mainly tourists for safari in Chitwan national park. Elephant handlers live in compound with very basic facilities. None of the mahouts has families living with them in a stable except one whose children live with him in order to attend the school in the village. With the wages not exceeding USD 15 per month, mahouts and their families live on the brink of existence.
working elephants in Nepal

Meena Chowdery (30) became elephant handler few months ago. Like her female colleague, Meena applied for mahout's job because it is a government position. Before she joined the stable she never worked with animals.  

A month ago her elephant Pojee run away from the stable and never returned.  

Elephant stable, Hattisar Soura, has 16 elephants and 30 handlers. Among elephant handlers there are also two female handlers. It is the state run stable and the government appoints all employees. The stable caters mainly tourists for safari in Chitwan national park.  

Elephant handlers live in compound with very basic facilities. None of the mahouts has families living with them in a stable except one whose children live with him in order to attend the school in the village. With the wages not exceeding USD 15 per month, mahouts and their families live on the brink of existence.