AAF to fund USD2 million for elephant-friendly tourism model in Dak Lak
The Animals Asia Foundation (AAF) will provide over USD2 million to the central highlands province of Dak Lak to stop the use of elephants in tourism services in the area.
The report that sparked public interest was posted by a visitor to two tourism sites in the Central Highlands. The tourist recently uploaded videos and photos of injured elephants being used to serve visitors at two tourist sites in Dak Lak.
In a post in a Facebook group on February 7, Nguyen Ngoc A. said she visited Jun village in Buon Ma Thuot City and Cau Treo Tourist Site in Buon Don District, Dak Lak Province, on February 3 and 4 and saw elephants carrying sightseers.
"Dak Lak Elephant Conservation Centre, which is a partner of AAF, had to visit local elephant owners to demand they stop their violence against their animals," AAF said.
AAF has recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Dak Lak Provincial People’s Committee on adopting an elephant-friendly tourism model. The MoU aims to end the use of elephant rides and other activities affecting the welfare of elephants in tourism and at festivals, contributing to conservation efforts in the province.
At present, AAF is working with the Yok Don National Park to launch the elephant-friendly tourism model. However, some elephant owners and trainers have been reluctant to co-operate with the new model. AFF has asked local authorities to develop a legal framework in order to require local elephant owners to follow the elephant-friendly tourism model.
AFF has pledged to provide a fund of over USD 2 million for the province to carry out this model. The fund will be used to support elephant owners and trainers to offset their losses from elephant-related services when following the new model.
The model is expected to last five years.
Since 2016, AAF has provided USD 350,000 for elephant conservation activities in Dak Lak.
Elephants carrying tourists for sightseeing in Dak Lak Province
In a document released on February 11, AAF criticised the abuse of elephants in Dak Lak which is causing anger among the public over the past few days.
The report that sparked public interest was posted by a visitor to two tourism sites in the Central Highlands. The tourist recently uploaded videos and photos of injured elephants being used to serve visitors at two tourist sites in Dak Lak.
In a post in a Facebook group on February 7, Nguyen Ngoc A. said she visited Jun village in Buon Ma Thuot City and Cau Treo Tourist Site in Buon Don District, Dak Lak Province, on February 3 and 4 and saw elephants carrying sightseers.
"Each mahout holds a rod that has a sharp iron spike on the side of the head to navigate and make the elephant obey. All the elephants at the site have injuries, both fresh and old," she wrote. "At Cau Treo, the mahouts had a string attached to the rod with a small rock, and "That could be the tool that caused the injuries to the animals."
An elephant with injures on its head in the post of Nguyen Ngoc A.
"Dak Lak Elephant Conservation Centre, which is a partner of AAF, had to visit local elephant owners to demand they stop their violence against their animals," AAF said.
AAF has recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Dak Lak Provincial People’s Committee on adopting an elephant-friendly tourism model. The MoU aims to end the use of elephant rides and other activities affecting the welfare of elephants in tourism and at festivals, contributing to conservation efforts in the province.
At present, AAF is working with the Yok Don National Park to launch the elephant-friendly tourism model. However, some elephant owners and trainers have been reluctant to co-operate with the new model. AFF has asked local authorities to develop a legal framework in order to require local elephant owners to follow the elephant-friendly tourism model.
AFF has pledged to provide a fund of over USD 2 million for the province to carry out this model. The fund will be used to support elephant owners and trainers to offset their losses from elephant-related services when following the new model.
The model is expected to last five years.
Since 2016, AAF has provided USD 350,000 for elephant conservation activities in Dak Lak.
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