Elephant destroying mango plantation

Dong Nai Nature reserve is having one of the two most viable Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) population in Vietnam. However, due to the increasing agriculture encroachment, hunting, wildlife trade, and intensified the wildlife-human conflict, 40% of elephant in the reserve were illegally killed in last 10 years. However, there was no effort to assess the cause and level of conflict as well as propose mitigation and conservation solution for the critically endangered elephant population.

Our project therefore implements an urgent assessment of human-elephant conflict in Dong Nai Biosphere Reserve and facilitation the cooperation between local community and biosphere reserve to manage and mitigate the conflict effectively and more importantly to propose conservation plan for protecting the elephant population in the biosphere reserve in the long-term.

The project will help to build the conservation capacity of both local ranger (the biosphere reserve) and community in managing human-wildlife conflict; help to improve the collaboration between the protected area and local community in protection of wildlife, its habitat and the biodiversity richness of the Dong Nai Biosphere Reserve. Improve the protection of elephant as and flagship species in Dong Nai will not only help the elephant but also help to protect other endangered species of animal and plant that are sharing the same habitat and landscape with the elephant as the whole.