In the dense forests of Laos, where half a century ago herds of Asian elephants still thundered and rhinoceroses roamed, today one often hears only silence. Despite the high forest cover that remains compared with neighbouring countries, many large mammals have disappeared, and their return requires not only plans on paper but real action on the ground.
According to a new study published in Global Ecology and Conservation, Sumatran and Javan rhinoceroses had disappeared from Laos by the 1990s, the last confirmed tiger was recorded in 2013, and the wild water buffalo and the kouprey have vanished entirely. These losses, the authors note, could have been mitigated by earlier recognition of population declines, better habitat protection and strict control of hunting and the illegal wildlife trade.
Today the country retains roughly 300–400 Asian elephants, distributed across 24 separate populations, most of which number fewer than 20 individuals. The study identifies key areas — the Nam Pouy National Protected Area in the northwest and Nakai-Nam Theun National Park in the central Annamite Mountains — as the most promising for recovery. The authors recommend focusing specifically on elephants: restoring movement corridors, transboundary landscapes and measures to reduce conflicts with people.
The main barriers are weak law enforcement, ongoing hunting and poaching, transboundary trade and a lack of funding. Even with national plans for tigers and elephants, as well as an extensive network of protected areas, their implementation often remains on paper. Experts stress that political will and long-term support are critically important, especially in a region that international donors often bypass.
Restoring large mammals could become a "flagship" approach that also helps conserve many other species, including rare endemics of the Annamite Mountains. However, without sufficient sustainable funding and a real strengthening of protection on the ground, the goals will remain unattainable.
The key to success is turning existing plans into concrete measures for protection and monitoring right now.
