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Tuesday, August 12, 2025
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World Elephant Day: Laos’ ‘Land of a Million Elephants’ Now Home to Just 500-1,000

This Week

On 12 August, the world marks World Elephant Day, a day to raise awareness about the urgent need to protect these majestic creatures. In Laos, once known as Lane Xang – the “Land of a Million Elephants” – the elephant population has drastically declined. 

Today, only 500 to 1,000 elephants remain, just one-third of the number from two decades ago. Conservationists warn that for every one or two elephants born each year in Laos, around ten die, putting the species at risk of disappearing from the country altogether.

Elephants continue to hold a special place as Laos’ national animal and a powerful cultural symbol. 

Most wild elephants are found in the Nam Poui National Protected Area (NPA) in Laos’ northwestern Xayabouly Province, which spans 191,200 hectares across Phiang, Paklay, and Thongmixay districts along the Lao-Thai border. 

This province also hosts the annual Elephant Festival, celebrating elephant heritage and promoting conservation efforts.

The Elephant Conservation Center in Xayabouly cares for the largest herd under human care in Laos, with over 25 elephants. Since the 2018 ban on illegal logging, many elephants once used in the timber industry have been redirected to tourism, while others have been sold to zoos, circuses, and breeders.

Global Elephant Population Under Threat

Globally, the situation is also critical. According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), fewer than 50,000 Asian elephants remain in the wild, including only 8,000 to 11,000 in Southeast Asia, where habitat loss, poaching, and human-elephant conflict continue to threaten their survival.

Worldwide, about 450,000 elephants remain.

Asian elephants have been classified as Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List since 1986. 

Every year, an estimated 20,000 wild elephants are killed for their ivory, hides, and other body parts.

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