Stopping elephant riding at Buon Don Suspension Bridge Tourist Center

March 3, 2023

On February 9, the representative of Biet Dien Hotel and Tourism Branch (Dak Lak 2/9 Import-Export One Member Limited Liability Company), which is doing tourism business at the Tourism Center Buon Don Suspension Bridge announced the suspension of elephant riding at the Buon Don Suspension Bridge Tourist Center from February 10, 2023.

Từ ngày 10/2/2023 sẽ dừng hoạt động cưỡi voi tại Trung tâm Du lịch Cầu treo Buôn Đôn.

Elephant riding at the Buon Don Suspension Bridge Tourist Center will be discontinued on February 10, 2023.

According to a representative of Biet Dien Hotel and Tourism Branch, in the past time, at Buon Don Suspension Bridge Tourist Center, elephant riding service has been used. Here, there are currently 6 elephants for tourism, of which 2 belong to the management unit and 4 additional contracted elephants of the people. Currently, these 6 elephants have not received support funding according to the decision of the People’s Committee of Dak Lak province approving the technical support project to support the implementation of transforming the elephant riding tourism model into the tourism model. elephant-friendly calendar in the area.

However, implementing the policy of the People’s Committee of Dak Lak province on the roadmap to stop the elephant riding service in the tourism business to preserve the province’s domestic elephant herd, gradually switching to a model of elephant-friendly tourism. , leaders of Dak Lak 2/9 Import-Export One Member Limited Liability Company decided to stop the elephant riding service business at the Buon Don Suspension Bridge Tourist Center located in Tri village, Krong Na commune, district. Buon Don from 10/2/2023.

Leaders of Dak Lak 2/9 Import-Export One-member Limited Liability Company assigned leaders and managers of Buon Don Suspension Bridge Tourism Center to seriously and thoroughly implement and advise visitors to move the switch to elephant-friendly tourism products and other products.

Previously, the People’s Committee of Dak Lak province approved the project of technical assistance to transform the model of elephant riding tourism into an elephant-friendly tourism model in the province, by the Animals of Asia. Asia sponsor. The total value of the aid is 55 billion 452 million VND, equivalent to 2.43 million USD, of which the non-refundable aid is 50 billion 888 million VND, and the counterpart capital from the non-business budget is allocated to the Central Government. Center for elephant conservation, animal relief, and forest management and protection is VND 4 billion 564 million annually.

The objective of the project is to implement an elephant-friendly tourism model, end elephant riding tourism activities and improve the welfare of domestic elephants, and maintain and conserve the domestic elephant population in the world. Dak Lak province.

The main result of the project is an elephant-friendly tourism model implemented in the Buon Don and Lak districts, completely replacing the form of elephant riding tourism. Herds of domestic elephants are preserved, taken care of, and guaranteed welfare, and prolonged life. Elephant owners and trainers are compensated for the lack of income due to stopping the elephant riding service. Tourism centers receive technical support to transition to an elephant-friendly tourism model; establish a tourism cooperative to manage and operate an elephant-friendly tourism model in the Lak district; Educational activities, raising awareness of elephant protection and conservation are popularized and spread effectively to all social classes and communities…

The project implementation period is from November 2022 to December 2026. Locations in the Buon Don district include Yok Don National Park; Center for Elephant Conservation, Animal Rescue and Forest Protection Management; tourism companies operating in the district; in the area of ​​Lak district, including the Ho Lak historical-cultural-environmental forest management board.

In 2018, Animals Asia also sponsored 65,000 USD within 5 years for Yok Don National Park, Dak Lak province to transform the model from elephant riding to friendly tourism for 3 elephants. Since then, the garden’s 3 elephants have been grazing in the wild. Every day, the elephants closely monitor their movement and forage in the forest. Tourists can go to the forest to visit and learn about elephants’ daily activities and activities. Visitors can watch elephants from afar, watch them eat, bathe, sleep, and walk with them in the forest… instead of riding like before.

In Dak Lak province, there are only 37 domestic elephants and about 80 to 100 wild elephants left. To conserve domestic elephants, the People’s Council of Dak Lak province has passed a resolution amending and supplementing several articles on elephant conservation policy. Specifically, support 500,000 VND/female elephant owner/day and 600,000 VND/male elephant owner/day for 30 days when they meet and mate. During pregnancy and childbirth, support 300,000 VND/day in the first 10 months of pregnancy; 600,000 VND/day from the 11th month of pregnancy to the 6th month after they give birth. In addition, those who take care of elephants during their mating, reproduction, and child-rearing are supported at 200,000 VND/day for 29 months for female elephants and 30 days for male elephants.

However, for many years, the domestic elephant herd in the province has not yet had a successful birth and the domestic elephant herd is decreasing.

Therefore, the information about stopping elephant riding at the Buon Don Suspension Bridge Tourist Center was given right before the 8th Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Festival taking place from March 10-14, 2023. are very interested and most agree and support this decision of Dak Lak 2/9 Import-Export One Member Limited Liability Company and Biet Dien Hotel and Tourism Branch.

However, people who love elephants in Dak Lak said that not only should elephant rides be stopped at the Buon Don Suspension Bridge Tourist Center, but all elephant riding activities should be stopped at tourist attractions in the province. Dak Lak, and at the same time, the province needs to quickly and effectively implement policies to conserve domestic elephants, to preserve and prolong the life of the existing domestic elephant herd. The Central Highlands will be without elephants.

Source: Nhan Dan Newspaper

SHARE THIS ARTICLE

Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on email
Share on whatsapp
Share on linkedin
Share on pinterest
SUPPORT WILDAID to end the illegal wildlife trade