Elephant conservation ongoing priority for WWF-Laos following devastating deaths

Elephants in their natural habitat at the Elephant Conservation Centre in Xayaboury. - Laotian Times

VIENTIANE (Laotian Times): A recent spate of elephant deaths from May to June in Nam Poui National Protected Area (NPA) has prompted a high-level investigation by the Department of Forestry (DoF) and the NPA.

WWF is devastated by these deaths, given the dwindling number of elephants in Laos and the essential role they play in ecosystems and the cultural and natural heritage of the country. Nam Poui NPA is an important stronghold for wild Asian elephants in Laos, along with Nakai Nam Theun and Phou Xang Hae protected areas.