Field Update | Nam Pouy Elephant Conservation

Discovering Elephant Herds Through Camera Trapping

Nam Pouy National Protected Area, located in Sayaboury province, Laos, boasts the second-largest wild elephant population in the country, estimated to be between 40 and 60 individuals as of 2015. However, the area faces significant challenges in conserving this vital population and its diverse habitat. The International Elephant Project has stepped in to support conservation efforts in collaboration with the Elephant Conservation Centre (ECC) and the Provincial Agriculture and Forestry Office (PAFO).

Nam Pouy’s Conservation Landscape

Nam Pouy National Protected Area, situated in Sayaboury Province in Northern Laos, spans 191,200 hectares and is recognized for its rich biodiversity. The area is home to diverse wildlife, including Asian elephants, Whitehanded gibbons, Clouded leopards, Asiatic black bears, Sun bears, and Dholes. Despite its ecological significance, the area faces multiple threats, including habitat loss, poaching, and human-elephant conflict.

Illuminating Asian Elephant Herds

Amid the challenges, camera trapping shines as a glimmer of hope for the critically endangered elephants. This quarter, the ECC team continued their camera trapping work, focusing on a new part of the NPA.

The idea of a possible third group of elephants in the southern area has intrigued conservationists for a while. It's not very likely that these elephants are completely different from the main group. Instead, they could be part of the larger northern group, like a branch of a family tree. And what's even more interesting is that in this region,  it is traditional to manage captive elephants in a semi-wild manner.

Camera Trapping Update

The past quarter (April to June 2023) has seen significant progress in understanding the challenges and successes of elephant conservation in Nam Pouy.

• Elephant Population Insights

Through camera trapping efforts, researchers have gained more profound insights into the elephant population within Nam Pouy. The camera traps identified at least 52 individual elephants. Notably, two separate groups have been identified: one consisting of 24 elephants with two adult males in the northwest and another group of 25 elephants with one adult male in the east.

• Poaching Threat

Unfortunately, rangers discovered evidence of poaching within Nam Pouy. Four elephants were found dead, two in the northwest and two in the east of the protected area.

• Camera Trapping Update

Camera trapping efforts have continued, focusing on a new area within the NPA. There have been rumors of a third herd of wild elephants in the south, though it's more likely that this represents a subset of the larger northern group or possibly captive elephants managed in a semi-wild manner.

• Conservation Efforts

The presence of ranger teams has proved crucial in uncovering poaching activities and deterring potential threats. Without their vigilance, many of these incidents might go unnoticed, enabling poaching networks to operate undetected.

• Future Steps

The project aims to collaborate with the government to combat poaching while deepening understanding of the elephant populations through continued camera trapping, patrolling efforts, and potentially collaring some individuals from each group. These measures will contribute to better protection and understanding of the elephant population in Nam Pouy.