(Baonghean.vn) - With about 15 recorded elephants, Nghe An has the second largest number of wild elephants in the country, just after Dak Lak - which is considered the elephant capital of Vietnam.
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| Due to hunting for ivory and habitat destruction, Vietnam currently has only about 70 to 130 wild elephants left. Of these, only 3 provinces have the best elephant populations, living in large herds because they still maintain their habitat: Dak Lak (about 83 to 110 elephants), Nghe An (about 13 to 15 elephants) and Dong Nai (about 10 elephants). Elephants in Nghe An mainly live in Pu Mat National Park. The photo was taken in 2001 in the northwest area of Pu Mat. The herd of elephants in this area has at least 5 recorded. Photo provided by Pu Mat National Park. |
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| According to Mr. Tran Xuan Cuong, Director of Pu Mat National Park, to get these photos, the park's staff set camera traps for 4 years. In the photo is a male elephant captured by a camera trap 16 years ago. Currently, Nghe An has about 6 wild elephant herds. However, only 2 herds live in groups. The other herds have only one elephant living alone. Photo: Provided by Pu Mat National Park. |
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| According to Mr. Cuong, this herd of elephants lives in the two communes of Tam Hop and Tam Quang, more than a day's walk from the residential area. Therefore, it is very rare for the herd to clash with people. "Since 1998, we have set up camera traps but only recorded one time. Since then, we have only recorded this herd of elephants following footprints left in deep forests. The number of herds seems to have not changed," said Mr. Cuong. This is also a rare herd of elephants in Nghe An that has not had conflicts with humans. Photo: Provided by Pu Mat National Park. |
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| About a two-day walk from the herd of five elephants in the northwest of Pu Mat is a female elephant of childbearing age. This elephant currently lives in the center of the National Park and often conflicts with humans. "Previously, the herd had two elephants, but in 1996, the male elephant was killed. Since then, this elephant has lived alone near Khe Kem waterfall. Every time it is in estrus, it often comes to the villages to cause trouble. With no male elephants, it often looks for large male buffaloes belonging to the people and keeps them in the forest," said Mr. Cuong. In the photo, the female elephant "captured" a male buffalo belonging to the people of Chi Khe commune in August 2016. Photo provided by Pu Mat National Park. |
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| The lone female elephant was recorded many times coming out of the forest, knocking down traffic signs, even nearby camps and houses. "When we were building the road to Khe Kem waterfall, this elephant kept coming out to cause trouble. It knocked down every camp that was set up," said Mr. Cuong. Photo: Provided by Pu Mat National Park. |
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| The most frequent clashes with people are the herd of 6 elephants living in the southeast of Pu Mat National Park. According to the people of Phuc Son commune (Anh Son), they and the elephants used to live peacefully. However, in 2009, the bamboo forests that were the elephants' food and habitat were cut down to plant rubber trees, and the elephants continuously came out to harass and look for food. The peak was after 2010, when the leading male elephant was shot dead for its tusks. "The habitat was encroached upon, there was no more food, so they often went to villages like Veu 1, Veu 2... to look for food. This herd of elephants often appeared periodically, during the sugarcane harvest season, from October onwards," said Mr. Nguyen Van Trang, Chairman of the People's Committee of Phuc Son commune. Photo: Dang Duong |
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| In May 2011, Mr. Vi Van Sinh (residing in Luc Da commune, Con Cuong), along with a few others, went to Veu village to build a hut to clear land for rubber plantation. At midnight, while he was sleeping soundly, a herd of elephants stormed into the hut, killing Mr. Sinh and injuring another person. Since then, this herd of elephants has continuously caused trouble. "Up to now, two people have been killed by this herd of elephants and many others have been injured. It often appears when the sugarcane planted by the people is about to be harvested," said the Chairman of the People's Committee of Phuc Son commune. In addition to causing trouble in Phuc Son commune, this herd of elephants also often goes down to Thanh Duc and Hanh Lam communes of Thanh Chuong to destroy people's crops. In the photo is the hut where Mr. Vi Van Sinh was killed by an elephant. Photo: Provided by Pu Mat National Park. |
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| The bamboo forest in Veu village was cut down in 2009, which made the elephants angry. In addition to 3 elephant herds with about 12 elephants in Pu Mat, Nghe An province, there are 3 elephants living alone in Xa Luong commune (Tuong Duong), Bac Son (Quy Hop) and one in Que Phong district bordering Thanh Hoa. Among them, the female elephant in Bac Son commune often conflicts with people, injuring many people. Photo provided by Pu Mat National Park. |
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| "Through monitoring elephant herds, we have noticed that single elephants often tend to move to join other herds. However, due to being separated by rivers and streams, they have not been able to meet for many years. We are planning to lure and bring single elephants to shallow river areas so that they can join new herds and reproduce to increase their numbers," said Mr. Tran Xuan Cuong. To preserve wild elephants, the Prime Minister has also approved the Master Plan for Elephant Conservation for the period 2013 - 2020, in which Nghe An is one of three priority areas for planning the conservation and sustainable development of elephants. However, due to difficulties in funding, this project has not yet been effective. Photo: Dang Duong |
Tien Hung
