There was a time when Nhon Hoa Commune in Gia Lai Province was known for capturing and taming elephants. An elder of Nhon Hoa Commune, Kpah Kleng, said his household was once considered well-off because they had three elephants.

 Trained elephants in central highlands

In 2000, Gia Lai Tourism Company, along with locals, cooperated to raise 20 elephants for an eco-tourism project, but the business did not live long so the elephants were sold. According to the Dak Lak Elephant Conservation Centre, the number of both wild and tame elephants has reduced sharply. In 1980, there were 550 elephants in the province, but the number has decreased to around 70.

A large number of them were killed by poachers, but many also died because of being removed from their environment. Since 1995, 11 elephants died after they were sent to Lam Dong Province which is at a higher altitude and colder than Dak Lak.

After being caught, elephants are chained up and cannot mate. Very few elephants have been born in captivity. At the same time, thousands of hectares of forest are disappearing due to illegal logging or rubber plants. Without land and food, elephants can become ferocious and will go into villages.

The authorities of Dak Lak and Gia Lai provinces have held various meetings on elephant conservation but there has been no project to date. According to some estimates, there may be no elephants in Dak Lak in 30 years.