Hello All,

Several years ago when there I was in the North West Thailand, up near the
Burma border, I encountered some Elephants that showed considerable
differences in size and appearance to the Asian Elephant. They were
strikingly larger, of a different colour, their body shape was different,
with a noticeable sloping back and extra prominent head bones and ears more
like African Elephants than Asian. I was able to photograph a bull
encountered along a road.

Recently in a visit to this area, I discussed further the matter of these
two different types of Elephants with Rod Beattie, (Allied War Grave
Administrator at Kanchanaburi, and the Railway Museum there), who has
considerable experience with the area and these animals. He told me a
remarkable story/theory to account for the differences in these Elephants.

Rod has observed these two very different type of Elephants in this region
for some years. He said the extra large, strikingly different type first
appeared in this area when northern Burmese subsistence farmer refugees,
from the foothills of the Himalayas, fled into Thailand bringing the
Elephants with them as working beasts.

He had also met a John(?) Bashford-Snell years ago who was searching for a
reputed extra large Elephant reported to be in the foothills of the vast
Himalayan Mountain Range. (I was able to Google the following book, but have
not been able to access it further: "Mammoth Hunt Insearch of the Giant
Elephants of Nepal Bashford - Snell J & Lenska R., London. Harper Collins.
1996.")

Apparently, according to Rod, reports over the years had come to the
attention of mammalogists of a very large Elephant that did not appear to
belong to either the Asian, or two African species. Though without excess
hair, it appeared to be a type of Mammoth species of Elephant - which are
understood to be extinct. I understand that Bahsford-Snell did not find the
giant Elephant he was seeking, but one wonders if these refugees from the
foothills of the Himalayas have not as their working elephants a sub-species
of surviving Mammoths?

Can anyone suggest someone who could evaluate the matter of this unusual
type of Elephant that can be seen in small numbers in N-W Thailand? Or, some
organization or person to whose attention these Elephants could be drawn?

I am happy to supply photos of the specimen I took, (together with a copy of
an Asian bull Elephant I took in Thailand as well).

Cheers!

Chris Coleborn