$11 mln project to disrupt wildlife supply chain in Greater Mekong region

A grand elephant race and a man flying in a power glider over thousands of spectators ended the annual rural sports spectacle in India on Sunday.

The illegal wildlife trade is an urgent problem. A more urgent problem than most of us realize.

The rarer it is, the more valuable people believe it to be, leaving little hope for the country's remaining giants. 

Of the 2,923 elephants WAP documented working within Asia's tourism trade, 2,198 were found in Thailand alone.

'If the current trend continues then you're going to lose the wild elephant population in the next 1-2 years.'

Elephants sleep standing or lying down, influenced by temperature and humidity rather than sunrise or sunset.

'Elephant's skin can cure skin diseases like eczema.'

There are currently fewer than 100 elephants left in the wild and just 80 or so in captivity.

Video reportedly shows a young and distressed elephant calf in India's northeastern Assam state standing at its mothers side after the two fell into a construction ditch, leaving her unconscious and possibly dead.

"The tusks resemble the prehistoric saber-tooth tiger, but of course, they are not related."

Pig murder, racing elephants and a violent ball skirmish: take your adrenaline-rush pick.

Elephants are preparing to take their final bow at the Ringling Bros. And Barnum & Bailey Circus, ending a 145-year spectacle that delighted fans and enraged animal activists. For 145 years, elephants have been performing tricks like these at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.But now only 11 remain, and on Sunday they'll take their final bow amid pressure from animal rights groups.......and head to this elephant conservation center, owned and operated by the circus, in Polk City, Florida.They're retiring a little earlier than planned...But Alana Feld, executive vice president of Feld Entertainment, the circus' parent company, says the time is right to say goodbye."There's been such a change in the legislative landscape around the country, and there's also been a mood shift among our consumers as well."But some say the conservation center won't be much better for the elephants.Anthrozoologist John Di Leonardo is a campaigner for PETA, an animal advocacy group."They'll continue to be threatened with bullhooks, possibly Tased with electric prods. The male elephants will be kept in solitary confinement behind bars and the other elephants will be chained up to 16 hours a day."But the circus says, those allegations are simply wrong.It maintains the elephants will be well-treated and have plenty of space, although one thing is clear.While the elephants may be hanging up their costumes on May 1......the debate over their care is far from over.

A wild elephant appeared on a road in the Dong Nai Culture And Nature Reserve on the morning of April 11, violently destroying a passing motorbike and causing dozens of locals to flee from the scene. A man reportedly abandoned the motorbike earlier in the day after being startled by the elephant. The wild animal was later shooed back into the jungle by rangers. No injuries were reported, but it didn’t end well for the vehicle.