Identifying Features:
The body is very large, potentially reaching up to 6 meters in length. The upper lip and nose have developed into a long trunk that reaches the ground. Two large incisors develop into tusks. Male elephants have two tusks, each up to 150 cm long and weighing 15 – 20 kg. They have 12 molars, with three on each side, positioned closely together, almost as a single unit. The skin is very thick, with sparse, long, and stiff gray-brown (sometimes white) hair.
Biology and Ecology:
Elephants inhabit sparse forests, secondary forests with bamboo and reed, interspersed with grasslands in valleys or low-lying mountainous areas. They are found at elevations up to 1500 – 1600m above sea level. Their diet consists of grass, leaves, small branches, bamboo shoots, and wild banana plants. The reproductive cycle is 4-5 years per litter, with one offspring per litter. Gestation lasts 21-22 months. Newborn elephants weigh 90-100 kg and stand up to 1 meter tall. They reach reproductive maturity between 15 and 50 years of age. Lifespan is 80-90 years or more.
Distribution:
Within Vietnam: Sơn La, Thanh Hóa, Nghệ An, Hà Tĩnh, Quảng Bình, Quảng Nam, Kontum, Đắk Lắk, Bình Thuận, Đồng Nai.
Global: India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, China (Yunnan), Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia.
Value:
Elephants are a rare and precious large mammal in Vietnam and worldwide and are the only species belonging to the family Elephantidae in Vietnam. In the past, elephants were domesticated in Vietnam, particularly in Buôn Đôn and other locations, for various purposes: dragging timber, carrying goods, use in warfare, and entertainment in zoos and circuses. Elephants and their tusks are valuable for export. Ivory is used in making fine handicrafts.
Status:
In previous years, elephants had a relatively wide distribution, ranging from Lai Châu along the Trường Sơn mountain range to Sông Bé, Tây Ninh, and several coastal provinces of South Central Vietnam such as: Bình Thuận, Ninh Thuận, Bà Rịa – Vũng Tàu. According to recent surveys (2001 – 2002), they are almost extinct in the provinces of Lai Châu, Thanh Hóa, Quảng Trị, Thừa Thiên – Huế, Ninh Thuận, Bình Thuận, Bà Rịa – Vũng Tầu, Gia Lai, Lâm Đồng, and several other locations. Their population is steadily declining. The estimated population was 1000-1500 individuals, but as of 2005, it has dwindled to fewer than 200, primarily in Đắk Lắk (over 100 individuals), with other locations having small populations of under 10 individuals. The area of natural forests is decreasing, forests are being fragmented, and elephant habitats are shrinking, leading to conflicts with human production and safety (e.g., in Xuyên Mộc, Bà Rịa – Vũng Tàu province; Tánh Linh, Đức Linh, Bình Thuận province; Định Quán, Tân Phú, Đồng Nai province; Ea HLeo, Đắk Lắk province). In 1993 and 2001, the government had to relocate elephant herds from Xuên Mộc and Đức Linh to Yok Đôn National Park. The number of domesticated elephants has also significantly decreased. There were over 500 domesticated elephants in Đắk Lắk, but now only about 100 remain.
Classification:
CR A1c B1 + 2b,c,e C1 + 2a
Conservation Measures:
The species is listed in the Vietnam Red Book and the IUCN Red List (1996, 2000), Decree 18/HĐBT, and Decree 32/2006/NĐ-CP of the Government, as well as numerous other documents from various levels of government, prohibiting hunting and trade and mandating their protection. Recently, a bilateral meeting was held between the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Kingdom of Cambodia on elephant conservation and protection between the two countries. Deforestation in areas where elephants live is prohibited. Simultaneously, there are efforts to quickly establish cross-border elephant conservation areas with Laos and Cambodia.