Bali tourism ban sends Mason Elephant Park and Lodge broke

Thirty critically endangered Sumatran elephants are facing death as Bali’s travel ban sends their Aussie-run rescue park broke.

A herd of critically endangered Sumatran elephants in Bali is on death row as the pandemic sends their Aussie rescuers to the wall.

Victorian Nigel Mason, who owns the Mason Elephant Park and Lodge in Bali, has launched a GoFundMe page to raise money to feed his herd of 30 elephants – which costs $30,000 a month to look after.

“We’ve spent about $1.2 million looking after the elephants since the pandemic started. The elephants are funded by guests who come to the park – so without people, the money has dried up,” Mr Mason said.

Bali is closed to international tourism, and Mr Mason has been given no support from the Indonesian government.

“We’ve gone through our savings and sold our fleet of transport buses to finance the herd.

“We’ve just run out of money. We have been forced into it, and we are struggling to keep the elephants alive,” he said.

Nigel Mason says funds have dried up. Picture: Courtesy Mason Elephant Park

However, Mr Mason said that if “worse came to worse” he would try to release the animals from the park near Ubud rather than euthanase them.

“We’ve had to reduce their food a little bit and spread what we have out amongst the entire herd of 30,” Mr Mason said.

“We have already seen the negative effects this has had on their health.

“The charitable foundation has raised about $30,000, which is enough to care for the herd for one month. The situation is desperate.”

The award-winning park was founded in 1997 when Mr Mason and his wife Yanie rescued 34 abused elephants from illegal logging camps in Sumatra in a daring sweep.

The couple transported the sick and scared animals to Bali on boats and trucks.

The exploited pachyderms had a life expectancy of just five years.

Since the park opened, the herd has thrived, and six babies have been born through natural selection.

Without the tourism buck the elephants are suffering. Picture: Instagram

Mr Mason has continued to expand the park, which is a popular place for Aussies to feed, wash and bath the giants.

As Asia’s first sanctuary awarded Gold Class status with Asia Captive Elephant Standards (ACES), the park also holds Gold Certification for having the highest level of animal welfare among its elephants.

Mason Adventures is Bali’s premier adventure tourism company, having started the island’s first white water rafting business in 1989.

The company grew to become the island’s biggest success story with Nigel and Yanie at the helm.

A Go Fund Me page has been set up to help save the elephants. Picture: Instagram

The Elephant Park & Lodge is a hot spot for visiting celebrities with Kim Kardashian, pro surfer Kelly Slater and actress Julia Roberts among the dozens of VIPs who have seen the park.

“Not one of the VIPs who have visited have come to our aid. It’s heartbreaking – people don’t realise that we’ve been stripped bare by having zero income for nearly two years,” Mr Mason said.

In the past, when terror attacks hit Bali, including the infamous 2002 Bali Bombing that claimed 202 lives, including 88 Australians – Mr Mason’s other business kept the elephant park afloat.

The late Steve Irwin at the Mason Elephant park, Bali. Supplied : Mason Elephant park

The newly created foundation for the elephants’ survival is a registered charity with an entire board of directors to ensure that all money raised goes to caring for the elephants.

Dr Ingrid Suter, Policy & Communications Officer with Asian Captive Elephant Standards said it was a tough time for such camps.

“In general I would be surprised if any elephant camp has income after the last two dreadful years.”

“In places such as Thailand, camps that hired [leased] elephants have had them returned to their rural village where they have more room to forage”. Dr Sutter said

However, the habitat of the Sumatran elephants in Indonesia has been decimated by illegal logging over many decades.

“Owners such as Nigel Mason are doing their absolute best, and have not given up on his camp,” Dr Sutter said.

Make a donation at Go Fund Me