A WORLD-RENOWNED explorer and a team of Dorset adventurers have just returned from an expedition to Assam.

Few visitors make the trip to Manas National Park that sits on the Indian border overlooked by the Himalayas.

But the small group, led by Colonel John Blashford-Snell, ventured out to the wildlife habitat to study the wild elephant and catalogue other species found in the jungle and grassland, while encouraging the local people to preserve the fauna and flora.

Annabelle Burroughes, a Tiger Moth pilot from Stalbridge, helped film the expedition, which was organised by The Scientific Exploration Society.

“We were trying to find out the numbers of wild elephant in the park because there used to be terrible trouble with poaching.

“But now most of the rangers there are ex-poachers who look at the park with the view of making it a tourist destination.

“They are very interested in this turnaround and it will mean less poaching, as it’s more financially viable to keep the elephants alive for tourists to visit.”

In 1992, UNESCO declared the park as a World Heritage site in danger due to heavy poaching but was removed from this list and commended for its efforts in preservation four years ago.

“We travelled through the park mainly on domestic elephant and they were just lovely. They look like they’re moving very slowly as they place their massive feet on the ground but they’re actually remarkably quick,” Annabelle explained.

“Spotting the wild ones was so hard, even at 50 yards away, as they camouflage so well. And counting the numbers in the jungle wasn’t as useful as we couldn’t see the small elephants.

“But we managed to observe over a hundred wild elephants, six rhinos and two tigers in total. We also encountered deer, wild boar and even an enormous King Cobra, which I made sure to stay away from as I’m not very good with snakes.”

Alongside this work, members of the expedition team helped the native Bodo people by administering dental treatment and giving out reading glasses to those in need. Two local schools were also given much-needed books, satchels and their very first computer.

Colonel Blashford-Snell said the trip was successful and he hopes the wildlife there will continue to thrive. “I do hope more people will now visit this distant but fascinating wilderness,” he added.