FROM PIONEERS TO LEADERS

The ECC team has been involved in numerous projects in Laos for the protection of the Asian elephants since 2001, setting up a registration system for captive elephants, mobile vet clinics, emergency response cards, a protocol and training for immobilisation of elephants in musth, an elephant care manual, national anti-trafficking campaigns, good practice guides for tourism and mobile libraries for local communities among other things.

In 2010, the ECC opened to the public: at the time, it was home to 1 elephant and had a concession of 105ha. By 2017, the Center had 13 elephants on its property. In early 2018, the Government of Laos stopped the illegal sale of 12 elephants to an overseas buyer, deciding instead to send them to the ECC. At the same time, they extended our land concession by 435ha and offered us to use 5,500 ha more for pastures. Today, ECC’s 34 elephants have access to 6,000ha of forest and have become the largest herd of elephants under human care in the country.

The ECC keeps its leadership in the field of elephant conservation thanks to a multi-sectorial approach to conservation involving local communities in the decision-making process. Our mahouts are consulted for every project we undertake while we maintain excellent relationships with the Provincial Government of Sayaboury Province.

Our two ‘signature’ programmes: reherding and rewilding elephants and monitoring and managing the second largest wild elephant group of Laos in the Nam Pouy National Park make the ECC the leader in conservation of wild & captive elephants in the country.

ECC management’s participation into the Asian Captive Elephants Working Group as well as our network of experts and supporters are taking us to new heights where the ECC becomes a key player for the global conservation of Elephas Maximus.