The authorities of the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak have signed a cooperation agreement with the Animals Asia Foundation on an elephant-friendly eco-tourism model in the province, which is known as the kingdom of elephants in Vietnam.

According to the agreement, Dak Lak will put an end to activities affecting the welfare of domestic elephants, including tourist elephant rides, competitions for elephants such as swimming, football, running, and tug of war, as well as marches for hours on asphalt roads, or recreation of hunting and taming scenes with elephants.

Elephants participating in tourism-friendly projects will enjoy complete nutrition, rest and good care, which will contribute to their welfare and health.

This cooperation agreement is an important basis for ending tourist elephant rides for all domestic elephants in Dak Lak province.

The Animals Asia Foundation will provide the Elephant Conservation Center in Dak Lak with $231,000 to carry out elephant conservation in the period 2022 - 2026. Previously, this organization also gave $110,000 for the conservation of Dak Lak elephants.

Currently, the elephant population in Dak Lak is no more than 140 (about 100 wild elephants and 37 domestic elephants), a 90% decrease compared to 1980. Most of the domestic elephants are no longer of reproductive age, causing difficulties for elephant conservation.

D. Nguyen

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Elephant conservation policies have been approved by the People's Council of Dak Lak province.