A “caravan” of elephants is travelling 500 kilometres through northern Laos over the next two months as part of a campaign to save the Asian elephant from extinction in the small landlocked country.
There are now fewer than 900 Asian elephants left in Laos. The species’ survival is threatened by habitat loss, poaching and abuse.
Conservationists say without urgent measures, within half-a-century the Asian elephant will disappear from a country traditionally dubbed the “Land of a Million Elephants”.
In the Lao language, Lan Xang means “1 million elephants”. From the mid-14th century, for 353 years, Lan Xang was a large kingdom in Southeast Asia.
It eventually became part of modern-day Laos.
Lan Xang is today the name of the widest boulevard in the Lao capital Vientiane — the road that leads to the famous Patuxay (Victory) monument, which from a distance resembles the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
But sadly, while the name endures, virtually all of the 1 million elephants that gave Laos its ancient name have disappeared.
Of the elephants left, there are about 350 in the wild and about 400 domesticated animals.
“I remember when I was younger, there were over 50 elephants in my township,” deputy manager of the Elephant Conservation Centre (ECC) in Xayaboury province Taksin Phanthasen said.
“And now, only 10 remain. This is a sad number.”
Nationwide the numbers are even more alarming.
The ECC says 80 per cent of the remaining elephants in Laos are employed in logging operations. Overworked elephants do not breed and die prematurely.
On average every year in Laos there are 11 elephant deaths and only two births.
The ECC says without urgent action to preserve habitat and remove elephants from logging, the species will disappear entirely from Laos within 30 to 40 years.
“If we don’t act now we’ll soon see a world without elephants,” ECC CEO Sebastien Duffillot said.
Caravan of elephants a ‘living, walking’ message
This week the ECC has embarked on an ambitious project to raise awareness of the plight of the Asian elephant in Laos — the Elephant Caravan.
Its arrival in Luang Prabang on December 17 will coincide with the 20th anniversary celebrations of the city being granted World Heritage status.
The next day 20 elephants will join the traditional elephant procession through the ancient city.
If we can save the elephant’s territory we will save all the other species too.
“The aim of this caravan is to be a living, walking message,” Mr Duffillot said.
“The elephants and the mahouts are making this journey to meet the people of Laos and of course you, to say ‘don’t forget us’. We are your natural heritage and your cultural heritage. And we need your help.”
Mr Duffillot said it was hoped the Elephant Caravan would revive government and popular support for the elephants in Laos.
“If we can save the elephant’s territory we will save all the other species too,” he said.
“And we can take elephants out of the cruelty and destruction of logging and into a better life. If we save the domesticated elephants we can secure a population that can potentially breed with wild elephants and increase their numbers in the future.”
PHOTO: Of the elephants left in Laos, there are about 350 in the wild and about 400 domesticated animals. (Supplied)
The two-month-long caravan journey will highlight the need for Lao authorities and landholders to protect the habitat of elephants.
But the threat of extinction also extends to the mahouts.
“This caravan will encourage young people to learn the skills of all the mahouts, before their wisdom is gone forever,” Mr Duffillot said.
“With their knowledge and a wider action to protect the forest we can save the elephant in Laos and prevent the loss of one of the world’s great treasures.”
The ECC was established in 2011 as the first elephant hospital and nursery in Laos.
Today it is home to 11 elephants and undertakes various conservation projects such as elephant breeding, cognitive enrichment, socialisation, veterinary care and environmental education.
It is a joint initiative between Lao and French partners, and seeks to provide a better life for the elephants and mahouts, and to protect the environment.
Each day it will include educational activities and games to educate children and the wider public.