10 May
State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the Chairperson of the Central Committee for Development of Border Areas and National Races, visited the Mann Shwe Settaw Pagoda, and the nearby elephant camp and wildlife sanctuary in Minbu Township yesterday.
Accompanied by Union Ministers Lt-Gen Kyaw Swe, Lt-Gen Ye Aung, U Min Thu, Dr. Aung Thu, U Ohn Win and Dr. Myint Htwe and officials, the State Counsellor left Nay Pyi Taw by a special flight and arrived to Magway Region, Magway Town yesterday morning.
From there the State Counsellor and party left by helicopters and arrived to Minbu Township Mann Shwe Settaw Pagoda where she paid homage to the pagoda with flower, water, oil lamp and scented water and donated K 500,000 for the pagoda to the pagoda trustee.
After touring the pagoda and vicinity, the State Counsellor signed the visitors’ book and paid homage to Mann Shwe Settaw Ko Khan Gyi Buddha image with flower, water, oil lamp and scented water and cordially met with pilgrims and devotees.
Next the State Counsellor went to Shwe Settaw Mann Chaung elephant camp were Myanma Timber Enterprise Managing Director U Saw John Shwe Ba explained about elephant conservation based travel business.
Afterwards the State Counsellor observed and fed the elephants in the camp and presented K 500,000 for the elephant camp. Following this the State Counsellor planted a Myintzuthaka tree at a designated place in front of the elephant camp.
Shwe Settaw Mann Chaung elephant camp had 15 elephants and also had11 bungalows where visitors can stay overnight. Arrangements were made for visitors to participate in caring for the elephants as well as observe the elephants in its natural habitat. The camp was established on 110 acres of land beside the 8 miles long road to Mann Shwe Settaw Pagoda.
Later the State Counsellor went to inspect the Golden Deer (Eld’s deer) breeding camp in Shwe Settaw Wildlife Sanctuary.
The State Counsellor then went on to Shwe Settaw Wildlife Sanctuary office where Forest Department Deputy Director General U Kyaw Kyaw Lwin explained about the wildlife sanctuary and breeding of Star Tortoise.
After inspecting the breeding and raising of Star Tortoise, the State Counsellor and party left for Magway by helicopters.
The Shwe Settaw Wildlife Sanctuary was situated in Magway Region Minbu, Ngaphe, Pwintbyu and Sedoktara townships and was established in 1940. It contains 118 plant species, 14 mammal species, 146 bird species, 43 amphibian species, 39 species of butterflies and 22 species of fresh water fishes. The wildlife sanctuary covers an area of 114,678.71 acres, and the golden deer are the main species conserved in it. As of April, 2019, there were 952 golden deer in the sanctuary.
The wildlife sanctuary was also breeding Star Tortoises and releasing back into the wild since 1996. In 2016, 2018 and 2019 a total of 150, 950 and 650 were released back into the wild and at the moment 330 were being bred. — MNA
(Translated by Zaw Min)
