Elephant-human conflict study in Dong Nai Biosphere Reserve

Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) is among the most threatened mammal in Vietnam as their habitat has been reduced to the limit and poaching. The loss of habitat as agriculture extension and increasing human activity in the elephant active area were the result that led to the increasing human-elephant conflict.

Khu Dự trữ Sinh quyển Đồng Nai bao gồm diện tích của Vườn quốc gia Cát Tiên, Khu bảo tồn Thiên nhiên và Văn Hóa Đồng Nai và một số công ty lâm nghiệp phụ cận là một trong số ít khu vực còn voi

Dong Nai Biosphere Reserve is comprising of the areas of Cat Tien national park and Dong Nai Culture and Nature Reserve and nearby forest companies. The reserve is also one of the few areas that have a wild elephant population in Vietnam. However, the reserve is also an active human-elephant conflict area. As their home has been reduced with the approaching of agriculture areas then the elephant occurs more often in the agriculture areas and local village close to the forest where they could find food and fruit. The occurrent of elephant in local village and agriculture areas create some damage and loss of crops and property but more seriously it creates hostile attitude from local community toward the elephant that pose a serious threat to the tiny elephant in the reserve as they could be a victim of retaliation as a result of the conflict. A few conflict mitigation efforts have been implemented in the reserve include building an electric fence in the conflict area, raising awareness for local community and compensation for damage created by elephant, however, the effort has not yet proven promising and helps to mitigate the conflict in the long-term.

Center For Nature Conservation and Development (CCD) conservation team in collaboration with staff of Cat Tien and Dong Nai Reserve implemented a study to provide a comprehensive understanding of the conflict and evaluating the effectiveness of the mitigation efforts implemented to provide recommendations for long-term elephant protection and conflict mitigation plan. The second field survey and consultation trips were carried out in Dong Nai Biosphere Reserve from June 12 to 18, 2019 focus on four key communes where the conflict often occurred include Ta Lai, Phu Ly, Thanh Son and Ma Da. The study result and recommendation then will be shared with relevant stakeholders, especially Cat Tien, Dong Nai Reserve and local authority to improve and more effective conflict management and ensure better protection for the endangered elephant population in the reserve and in Vietnam as the whole.