MandaLao Elephant Conservation: a paradise for rescued elephants In the lush green hills outside of Luang Prabang in northern Laos, sits the first elephant sanctuary in the country, MandaLao Elephant Conservation About a 30 minutes drive from the centre of Luang Prabang in northern Laos, sits MandaLao Elephant Conservation. Despite being so close to a city, the sanctuary is surprisingly remote and rural. Spanning around 500 acres of lush green forest, trees, and hills, the area is ideal for MandaLao’s nine elephants to roam free.
Established in September 2016, MandaLao's mission is to demonstrate the highest level of care possible to captive elephants and influence the growth of ethical elephant tourism. Photo courtesy of Nick Axelrod
To reach the sanctuary, you must drive through a few small villages where many of the local residents are involved with MandaLao in one way or another, whether it be farmers who grow crops for the elephants to eat or laborers who are helping to build the new enclosures.
Life for an elephant at MandaLao
Soon after, you reach the sanctuary, where there is a beautifully built house and welcome area. Here, visitors can delight in the stunning view of the Nam Khan river and the forested sanctuary area across the water.
The elephants may not be able to roam the wild again but they are given every opportunity to perform their natural behaviors as elephants should.
It’s a genuine paradise for the elephants, here, with the guidance of their mahouts, they can roam freely in their natural groups, play and swim in the river, and eat as much as they want.
www.worldanimalprotection.ca/news/mandalao-elephant-conservation-paradise-rescued-elephants
