The Elephant's Child
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With a high level of biodiversity, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic has some of the most significant forest areas remaining in Southeast Asia. The country also harbors one of the largest remaining populations of Asian elephants. But Laos, once known as the Land of a Million Elephants, faces warnings from conservationists that it could lose its herds within 50 years if it does not move quickly to protect them with tourism eyed as a possible savior. Poaching and habitat loss from logging, agriculture and hydroelectric projects has caused a major decline in the number of both wild and domesticated Asian elephants in Communist Laos.
The main threats faced by elephants are poaching for ivory, being killed as a direct result of human–elephant conflict, and habitat loss. Poaching involves both local and transboundary hunters. Reports of crop-raiding and human deaths caused by elephants are on the increase in the country. Laos is thought to have only 700 left in the wild.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) describes the Asian elephant as "being seriously threatened with extinction". There are 560 working animals left in Laos and a further 700 wild ones rapidly running out of habitat. The Elephant Festival has been organised to raise awareness of the need for action to protect the Asian elephant as part of the vital cultural and natural heritage of Laos and the countries of the region. Nowadays conservation of an important elephant population is undertaken by Wildlife Conservation Society in Protected Areas. They are trying to reduce human-elephant conflict. The working elephant is a main source of income of the people of this region especially for mahouts. Laos Elephant also attract tourist because of the facility of elephant riding and trekking. Tourism appears to be one answer with its good and bad consequences.
On our bikes we pass a little village Ban Thieng about 10km south from Vang Vieng, we cross a stream where a elephants indulge in playful water fights, squirting refreshing showers over themselves. We meet these two little mahouts (elephant handlers) taking care of their elephant like it was a puppy dog.
Laos, ooit bekend als het ”Land van een Miljoen Olifanten”, riskeert zijn olifantenkuddes binnen de 50 jaar kwijt te raken indien er niets wordt ondernomen om de dieren beter te beschermen. Een van de redders van de Aziatische olifant in Laos kan het toerisme zijn. Stroperij en verlies van leefgebieden door houtkap, landbouwactiviteiten en hydro-elektrische projecten heeft voor een sterke terugval gezorgd, zowel van werk- als wilde olifanten. Bezorgdheid over het lot van de Aziatische olifant in het conflict tussen mensen en olifanten, heeft de afgelopen jaren geleid tot oprichting van beschermde gebieden. Toerisme is ook nodig, want tot heel kort geleden werd in Laos geen enkele poging gedaan om olifanten beter te beschermen. Maar nu de toeristen komen lijkt er meer initiatieven tot bescherming van de olifanten mogelijk, want toeristen brengen natuurlijk geld in het laatje. En dat geld kan het verarmde land best gebruiken.
The Elephant's Child
Explore Frontpage
With a high level of biodiversity, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic has some of the most significant forest areas remaining in Southeast Asia. The country also harbors one of the largest remaining populations of Asian elephants. But Laos, once known as the Land of a Million Elephants, faces warnings from conservationists that it could lose its herds within 50 years if it does not move quickly to protect them with tourism eyed as a possible savior. Poaching and habitat loss from logging, agriculture and hydroelectric projects has caused a major decline in the number of both wild and domesticated Asian elephants in Communist Laos.
The main threats faced by elephants are poaching for ivory, being killed as a direct result of human–elephant conflict, and habitat loss. Poaching involves both local and transboundary hunters. Reports of crop-raiding and human deaths caused by elephants are on the increase in the country. Laos is thought to have only 700 left in the wild.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) describes the Asian elephant as "being seriously threatened with extinction". There are 560 working animals left in Laos and a further 700 wild ones rapidly running out of habitat. The Elephant Festival has been organised to raise awareness of the need for action to protect the Asian elephant as part of the vital cultural and natural heritage of Laos and the countries of the region. Nowadays conservation of an important elephant population is undertaken by Wildlife Conservation Society in Protected Areas. They are trying to reduce human-elephant conflict. The working elephant is a main source of income of the people of this region especially for mahouts. Laos Elephant also attract tourist because of the facility of elephant riding and trekking. Tourism appears to be one answer with its good and bad consequences.
On our bikes we pass a little village Ban Thieng about 10km south from Vang Vieng, we cross a stream where a elephants indulge in playful water fights, squirting refreshing showers over themselves. We meet these two little mahouts (elephant handlers) taking care of their elephant like it was a puppy dog.
Laos, ooit bekend als het ”Land van een Miljoen Olifanten”, riskeert zijn olifantenkuddes binnen de 50 jaar kwijt te raken indien er niets wordt ondernomen om de dieren beter te beschermen. Een van de redders van de Aziatische olifant in Laos kan het toerisme zijn. Stroperij en verlies van leefgebieden door houtkap, landbouwactiviteiten en hydro-elektrische projecten heeft voor een sterke terugval gezorgd, zowel van werk- als wilde olifanten. Bezorgdheid over het lot van de Aziatische olifant in het conflict tussen mensen en olifanten, heeft de afgelopen jaren geleid tot oprichting van beschermde gebieden. Toerisme is ook nodig, want tot heel kort geleden werd in Laos geen enkele poging gedaan om olifanten beter te beschermen. Maar nu de toeristen komen lijkt er meer initiatieven tot bescherming van de olifanten mogelijk, want toeristen brengen natuurlijk geld in het laatje. En dat geld kan het verarmde land best gebruiken.