A Giant Rescue (2 page)

It was an early start the next morning. Bindi, Robert, Terri and Kate joined Din and his family for breakfast. He lived in a traditional dome-shaped house made of bamboo, with a roof of grass. They started the day with a delicious selection of wild fruits,
local honey and rice. There was no time to linger in the already humid morning as Kate was anxious to meet the farmers and begin work.

They made their way by foot through the village, passing many other similar traditional Bunong houses but also some more modern dwellings. They wound their way down more dirt roads out into the fields by a small banana plantation, where a group of farmers had gathered to hear what Kate had to say. With Din acting as interpreter, Kate explained that it was possible to stop the hungry elephants through changing the way they farmed.

‘To begin with, we need to look at protecting your land and we can do this by building wooden watchtowers, erecting trip-wires and using deterrents such as scarecrows and noise systems. Elephants don't like noise and they would also prefer to avoid humans if they can. We can string up a collection of pots and pans or anything that would make a loud noise if an elephant knocked into it by mistake.'

The villagers seemed encouraged by what Kate had to say, but they also had concerns. Din explained, ‘This will all cost money, and the farmers want to know who will pay.'

Terri nodded. ‘Of course. We should have made that clear from the beginning. The Asian Elephant Conservation Foundation will be funding this.'

After Din explained that the farmers wouldn't have to pay, several locals were eager to begin building a watchtower right away.

Kate began delegating. ‘Terri, can I leave you in charge of the building party? The rest of us are going to spend some time in the fields.'

‘Sure thing!' Terri went with some of the villagers to find the timber they would use to build with.

‘What can we do to help?' asked Bindi. She was excited about the project and eager to pitch in too.

Kate turned back to the others. ‘Elephants don't like chilli. It doesn't taste as good to them as bananas. We can build fences and string them with chilli plants, sprinkle chilli powder and rope off areas using chilli ropes.' Kate pointed to the supplies which had arrived that morning from Cardamom. ‘We can also hang up hammocks complete with scarecrows and hats so that the elephants think there are people in the fields.'

The groups headed out into the fields and work on fences began.
Bindi found it very relaxing to be helping out in the rice fields. Most of the farmers were friendly and enthusiastic about the plan. She hoped for the sake of everyone, especially the elephants, that it would work!

They had all been working for most of the morning when the high-pitched revs of an expensive-looking dirt bike disturbed the workers. Bindi looked up to see it roaring alongside the fields. The young rider had the
throttle wide open and was going too fast!

Din shook his head in dismay. When the young rider fishtailed around a bend in the track and threw the bike up into a wheelie, he almost lost control.

‘What a show-off,' thought Bindi.

The bike veered off the road and skidded over some of the crops. Din was furious. He ran up to the startled driver and shook his fist, yelling.

Bindi nudged Robert. ‘I don't understand the language but that kid is getting a telling-off!'

‘Yep, I'd rather be me than him right now,' agreed Robert.

As the young man got back on his bike, he tore off again in a cloud of red dust, sending clumps of dirt into the air as he went.

Din returned to the fence. ‘These young people,' he explained to Bindi and Robert, ‘they only care about making fast money. They don't want to learn farming or how to work the land.'

Bindi was beginning to realise that there was so much more going on in this village than problems with the elephants!

After a delicious lunch of
amok trey
– fish wrapped in banana leaves and steamed, with a generous serving of rice, it was time to take a break from the midday heat. While Terri and Kate discussed the plans for the afternoon's work, Robert and
Bindi had other ideas. They had made friends with a young teenager named Tri who had been working in the fields alongside them. Tri had invited them to come along to take one of the domestic elephants, who Tri called Chenda, to a nearby waterfall for a drink.

It was only seven years ago that Mondulkiri started to get cars, motorbikes or even roads. Before this elephants were used for transport through the forest and for farm work. There was usually only one or two families in charge of elephant care, and Tri's family was one of these. Tri worked as a mahout, which meant he was an elephant keeper.

Tri was seventeen, tall and lanky, with a huge smile that lit up his face. He was shy and seemed more at ease with animals than people. As they made their way through the forest, Bindi admired Tri's way with his elephant. Chenda had been wearing a basket earlier filled with wood for the fence but now she was untethered. Tri used a short bamboo cane to direct Chenda by tapping her legs or the side of her body. He was very gentle with the giant creature and they seemed fond of each other.

As they left behind the farm lands and entered thick jungle, Bindi noticed what appeared to be a disused
mining site. It looked like one of the many ancient temples they had seen in other parts of Cambodia that has been reclaimed by the jungle. Old and rusty machinery lay almost hidden among thick strings of vines. It was amazing to see how nature just took over and covered the human scars left on the landscape.

Tri noticed Bindi looking at the mine with interest. ‘There are plenty of these in the area. Some are old and abandoned but some are working. They mine gold, gems and bauxite here.'

Chenda gave a loud trumpet.

Bindi laughed. ‘It doesn't sound like she likes the mines.'

‘No, neither do I,' said Tri, patting Chena's flank.

The elephant led the way along a well-worn jungle path. Sunlight filtered through the dense canopy of rainforest. They walked in single file, enjoying an easy silence.

Bindi and Robert heard the unmistakable roar of rushing water before the falls came into view. The water tumbled over a cliff and cascaded over rocks before flowing into a crystal-clear pool at the bottom. The path through the jungle ended beside this pool, at a shallow beach. Chenda waded straight in and took a long drink.

Tri raised his eyebrows at his
new friends and offered a challenge. ‘Last one in is a –' Before he could finish, Bindi and Robert were already running towards the pool. To cries of ‘Geeee-ronimo', they dive-bombed into the deeper water from a rock shelf beside the waterfall.

Chenda sucked up a trunkful of water from the pool and took aim at Bindi and Robert, spurting the water out like a fire hose, drenching them both.

Bindi spluttered, ‘That elephant is far too clever!'

‘Chenda's the ultimate super soaker!' called out Robert, impressed.

Something caught Chenda's
attention as she looked back towards the way they had come. Bindi followed her gaze, and there on the bank was the same young man who they'd seen earlier tearing around on his dirt bike.

He called out a greeting to Tri who waved back half-heartedly. ‘Hi Kret.'

Tri walked over to Kret and began talking. Bindi noticed Kret pointing to what looked like new sneakers and pulling out a top-of-the-range mobile phone from his cargo pants.

‘More showing-off,' muttered Bindi.

Tri was now shaking his head
emphatically at whatever Kret was saying. Their voices became louder and more strained. Kret waved a hand towards Chenda and said something to Tri, while poking him in the chest. Tri shook his head; he didn't seem at all interested in what Kret was offering.

Kret shook his own head back and Tri turned away. Kret scooped up a flat river stone from the bank and drew his arm back. Bindi realised he was aiming to throw the stone at Chenda.

Bindi gasped. Just as she was wondering how to protect the huge elephant, Tri caught Kret by the arm and wrestled the stone from
his grasp. Kret just laughed and sauntered off down the jungle path calling something Bindi couldn't make out over his shoulder as he went.

Tri looked over at Bindi. He seemed quite upset.

‘Are you okay, Tri?' she asked.

Tri gave a sad smile but said nothing, and patted Chenda's side.

I have a bad feeling about Tri's friend, Bindi thought as she got dunked by another wall of water from Chenda, although she no longer felt like playing.

When Terri, Kate and the children arrived in the fields the next morning, they found the farmers and Din already huddled in a group. The farmers were having a very serious discussion. They looked far from happy.

‘What's happened?' asked Kate as they joined the group. Din pointed to the far corner of plantation. Bindi and Robert realised with dismay that some crops had been trampled and eaten during the night.

‘Oh no, not again!' groaned Robert. ‘We didn't get time to finish the fence yesterday.'

Din turned to Kate and the Irwins. ‘The farmers are not sure now if it's worth putting all this effort into stopping the elephants. They worked so hard yesterday and now look at what has happened. This elephant is only going to keep coming back for more.'

Bindi answered. ‘But once the fence is finished, the elephant won't be able to get in.'

One farmer shouted out angrily in Bunong. Kate grimaced and explained to the Irwins. ‘They want to “fix” the problem now, if you get my meaning.'

Bindi was not pleased. ‘But elephants help them out in so many ways.' Tri had explained that Chenda and other domesticated elephants cleared the land in the first place so the crops could be planted. ‘The farmers need to be patient,' she said. ‘We'll help.'

Din shrugged. ‘This elephant has been attacking their crops for over
a week now. They are rice and corn crops that can no longer feed the village.'

Terri stepped up. ‘I know Kate has brought seed packets with her so the farmers can start growing different crops, such as eggplant, which Asian elephants don't eat. Changes like this make the land more productive and will give you more variety from your crop yield.'

Din looked concerned. ‘You're suggesting they change the way they farm too?' He shook his head. ‘They won't like it.'

‘You can't ignore the success we've had in the Cardamom Mountains,' said Kate. ‘Not only
are elephants not trampling crops, but farmers are making a profit out of the range of crops they grow.'

‘The spirit of the Bunong and the elephant is the same,' said Bindi. ‘The elephant, like you, is losing its land. These creatures are your brothers, not your enemy.'

Once Din had translated, the farmers nodded and headed into the field to work. ‘Nice work, B. Message received loud and clear,' said Robert, giving his sister a light punch on the arm.

Bindi nodded. ‘For now, at least,' she said, knowing there was still more to do.