A veterinary team from the University of Pretoria (UP) has made history by performing Cambodia’s first-ever tusk extraction on an elephant—marking a milestone in international veterinary care.
Picture not affiliated with Cambodian elephant/David Clode/Unsplash
The groundbreaking procedure was carried out on a distressed Asian elephant named Chi Chlorb, whose fractured tusk posed serious health risks.
An elephant in distress
Chi Chlorb, a resident of the Kulen Elephant Forest (KEF)—a 400-hectare sanctuary in Cambodia’s Siem Reap province—was first identified with a tusk fracture about 18 months ago by Dr Navaneetha Roopan.
As head veterinarian of Wildlife Alliance, a conservation and rescue NGO operating out of the Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre, Dr Roopan was concerned about the risks of infection and long-term discomfort.
KEF serves as a retirement reserve for Asian elephants who have spent years in the tourism industry. Many of these gentle giants arrive at the reserve with injuries or trauma from their previous lives.
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From conference to collaboration
The path to intervention began when Dr Roopan attended a conference in China last year, where he encountered Professor Gerhard Steenkamp—an international expert in veterinary dentistry and maxillofacial surgery based at UP’s Faculty of Veterinary Science.
“After the talk, Dr Roopan approached me and asked if I would assist with Chi Chlorb’s case, and of course I agreed,” said Professor Steenkamp, whose work has taken him around the globe to assist with complex wildlife procedures.
Assembling a specialist team
Planning the operation took several months, culminating in a team effort that included Professor Adrian Tordiffe, a wildlife veterinary specialist from the Vantara animal rescue and rehabilitation centre in India and an extraordinary lecturer at UP.
Tordiffe, who frequently partners with Steenkamp, was responsible for administering anaesthesia—making this the first time an elephant underwent general anaesthesia in Cambodia.
Steenkamp praised the significance of international collaboration on this project: “It shows how much knowledge and experience they’ve developed—and continue to develop – at Vantara, and how they may continue to play a significant role in supporting veterinarians and wildlife conservation across Asia in the future.”
A successful surgery
The surgery, from sedation to recovery, took about an hour and a half. It was also observed by veterinarians from Thailand and Singapore, turning the occasion into a cross-border learning experience.
Chi Chlorb has been recovering well since the operation, which took place two weeks ago. The success of the procedure not only improved the elephant’s quality of life but also set a precedent for similar interventions across Asia.
Global conservation impact
Professor Steenkamp’s work in Cambodia underscores the University of Pretoria’s ongoing commitment to global wildlife health and veterinary advancement. The initiative is a testament to the power of international cooperation in building veterinary capacity and promoting animal welfare.
This breakthrough adds to UP’s growing legacy of knowledge-sharing, conservation support, and hands-on impact across continents—one life-saving surgery at a time.
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