A baby elephant has been spotted in the Elephant Species and Habitat Conservation Area in Da Nang, marking a significant milestone in the preservation of Vietnam’s endangered Asian elephant population.
The discovery was made through images captured by a camera trap system installed in the conservation area managed by the Da Nang Special-Use Forest Management Board. The calf, estimated to be nearly one year old, was born in the Na Lau area of the conservation area. Footage recorded on July 8 shows the baby elephant moving nimbly alongside its mother, who closely guarded the young animal.
The sighting is an encouraging sign of natural reproduction among the wild elephant population living in the reserve. It also reflects the tireless efforts of the management board in forest protection, reducing human-elephant conflict, and maintaining the herd’s natural habitat.
The Elephant Species and Habitat Conservation Area was established in 2017 on nearly 19,000 ha in former Quang Nam province (now part of Da Nang). At the time of its establishment, surveys indicated the presence of at least 5-7 wild elephants in the area, with the herd previously observed at the forest edge near Cam La village, Que Lam commune.
The detection of the new baby elephant follows a similar report from 2020, when a roughly one-year-old calf was documented in the conservation area with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Green Annamites project.
The local wild elephant population now includes a full developed herb of mature males, females, and calves. To date, the herd has grown to nine individuals./.
