Dak Lak issues national action plan to conserve elephant herds in the area

Over the years, with the support of Animals Asia, the People's Committee of Dak Lak province has issued many policies, programs and projects on the conservation and development of domesticated elephants in the area.

Herd of domestic elephants in Buon Don district, Dak Lak province.

At the same time, direct relevant sectors and localities with elephants such as Buon Don and Lak districts to promote the implementation of policies, projects, programs and plans on the conservation and development of domesticated elephants in the area effectively; strengthen propaganda and mobilize businesses and households that own elephants to convert their tourism model from elephant riding tourism to elephant-friendly tourism ... to untie the domesticated elephants and best preserve the existing domesticated elephants in the area.

However, due to the impact of the environment and humans, over the past 40 years, the herd of domesticated elephants in Dak Lak province has decreased from 502 to just over 35. Over the past decades, although the authorities have implemented many solutions to support reproduction for the herd of domesticated elephants in the province, no domesticated elephant has successfully reproduced. And now, the herd of domesticated elephants in the province is at risk of continuing to decline.

Therefore, to preserve elephant herds in the province, on February 7, 2025, the People's Committee of Dak Lak province issued Decision No. 220/QD-UBND on promulgating the National Action Plan on elephant conservation in Dak Lak province until 2035, with a vision to 2050.

Accordingly, the Dak Lak Provincial People's Committee requested relevant localities, departments and branches to effectively implement elephant conservation policies in Dak Lak province; at the same time, review and perfect mechanisms and policies to suit the actual conditions of elephant conservation and development in Dak Lak in the period of 2025-2035, with a vision to 2050.

Foreign tourists take pictures with domestic elephants at Buon Don Suspension Bridge Tourist Center.

Specifically, elephant conservation activities must focus on inheriting and promoting the achievements of elephant conservation activities in projects, programs and plans implemented in the past regarding rescue, care, breeding, etc. At the same time, strengthen cooperation and association with international elephant conservation organizations to share experiences, elephant conservation initiatives and high-tech techniques, and select applications in the conservation of wild and captive elephants in the province.

Focus on researching, developing and implementing processes, techniques and solutions for managing, monitoring, rescuing, releasing wild elephants, and managing human-elephant conflicts in the direction of promoting harmonious coexistence, enhancing welfare, care and nurturing for captive elephants; protecting the living environment for wild elephants...

Implement a program to promote elephant reproduction on fertile female elephants to maintain development; increase the legal Asian elephant breed source through a program to import young elephants as breeding stock through diplomatic channels from the Government and participate in the regional Zoo Association to exchange Asian elephant genetic resources.

Promote the mobilization of research units, scientists and experts to participate in in-depth research projects on elephants, proposing scientific and environmentally sustainable solutions.

Develop communication programs and organize propaganda and education to raise awareness and change behavior for different target groups about the importance of elephant conservation and human-elephant conflict management towards harmonious coexistence.

Arrange investment funds to complete the elephant care and rescue complex: build fences, elephant care houses and internal roads of the elephant care and rescue complex (phase 2); purchase machinery, equipment and specialized vehicles to ensure rescue, health check-ups and reproduction for elephants and other wild animals...

Source: https://baodaknong.vn/dak-lak-ban-hanh-ke-hoach-hanh-dong-quoc-gia-bao-ton-dan-voi-tren-dia-ban-242514.html