VIDEO OUT! Population survey of the Asian Elephant on the Nakai Plateau, Khammouan Province, Laos

In 2022, Association Anoulak began a new project to survey the population of Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus) in Nakai-Nam Theun National Park region and surrounding areas.

We are pleased to share a video presenting this on-going project (the video is available in English and in Lao. A French version will also be produced in the coming weeks):

Watch the English version here:

Watch the Lao version here:

Project background: One of the largest elephant populations of Laos is in Nakai-Nam Theun National Park and surrounding areas. In 2008, the Nam Theun 2 hydroelectric dam resulted in the flooding of a large part of the resident elephant population’s habitat. Prior to this habitat loss, the population was estimated at 132 elephants, likely the largest and genetically most diverse in Laos at the time. But it was suggested that the elephant population would be affected and disperse due to the habitat loss. Since then, elephants have moved closer to villages and human-elephant conflicts have increased across a wide region, spanning several provinces. The size of the elephant population has not been systematically monitored.

Association Anoulak therefore initiated and is leading the study. The aims of this study are to provide an estimation of the current elephant population size on the Nakai Plateau and surrounding areas, as well as its genetic diversity, social structure, dynamic and movement patterns. The results of this study will have implications for the national and global conservation of the species.

For this elephant survey, we apply non-invasive fecal DNA-based capture–recapture population survey methods which consist of collecting elephant dung samples from which DNA is later extracted in laboratory in Vientiane at the University of Health Science. The field data collection was conducted from November 2022 to May 2023 in the Nakai-Nam Theun National Park region. Data analysis is on-going with expected results end-2024.

Elephant dung collection in the field

Elephant dung collection in the field

In the field

DNA extraction from dung samples in laboratory

This project is conducted in collaboration with the Nakai-Nam Theun National Park Management Division.

This project is funded by Association Anoulak via grants received from:

• Conservation, Food & Health Foundation
• International Conservation Fund of Canada
• Zoological and Botanical Garden Wilhelma
• Denver Zoo

This project is conducted in partnership with technical partners:

• Institut de Recherche pour le Developement – Lao Program
• Association Beauval Nature / Center for Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, CNRS – UMR5175, Montpellier
• Royal Zoological Society of Scotland