01/09/2016
An unprecedented census gives a sobering baseline for managing what’s left of Africa’s elephants.
Phou Khao Khouay National Park, Laos
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Visit Phou Khao Khouay and enjoy your stay! Feel the breeze of pure nature. Become a friend of Phou
14/06/2016
20/10/2015
Wow, that’s Tad Leuk – overrun by heavy floods on October 11, 2015. Unusual, spectacular… and very dangerous! Not sure how quick the water level rose in this normally gentle stream. People say, strong rains fell on that day but amazingly nothing happened at nearby Tad Xay. Must have been very local. Or were gates of the Ang Nam Leuk dam just a few kilometers upstream opened?
Fortunately, no casualties are reported unlike a few years ago. There is still no word whether the sling bridge, crucial for tourists, survived. If seriously damaged, repairs could prove to be costly. Let’s keep the fingers crossed that the bridge withstood the forces of nature or gets the necessary attention of the park authorities. They acted swiftly before and did a great reinforcement job then. Otherwise this beautiful place will lose much of its appeal by cutting off wonderful hiking trails.
Photos courtesy of Bertrand Laville, Vientiane Orchidees
07/08/2015
The popular tourist hotspot of Hadkhay village in Thaphabath district, Borikhamxay province, has shut down its activities after the road into the village was...
27/11/2012
Bombax anceps in full bloom. Tad Leuk, 26.11.12
27/11/2012
A great example for mimicry, here resembling a leaf. Tad Leuk, 26.11.12. Species to be identified. Ca. 1 cm long.
27/11/2012
Bombax anceps in full bloom. Tad Leuk, 26.11.2012
27/11/2012
Who said there is nothing at Phou Khao Khouay? This male macaque has become a regular visitor at Tad Leuk, naughty enough to steal our eggs and bananas from the table last weekend. He didn't go away, always watching out whether he could sneak in for the next theft. He is part of a larger group, but the others usually do not (yet) show up - or shall we say 'show off'? - like this dandy. I'd say, Phou Khao Khouay is well alive!
13/11/2012
I am getting more and more afraid that more elephants roaming around Ban Na suffered the same fate as the one of their peers before (the originally added photo I deleted, it's just too gruesome). One thing is sure, it's not the villagers to be blamed! They themselves are frustrated and sad - not only because it's in their own interest to protect them. But who are the culprits? To be clear, no one currently knows where the elephants are. We only know that they are avoiding for whatever reason the salt lick near the elephant tower. Are they gone only temporarily - or forever?? A truly sad story. Tourists should be aware of the situation, but should visit Ban Na nevertheless! It's worth a visit. And they can/should mark their concern about the fate of the elephants. Klaus
10/05/2012
Preview of Chriskatie's blog at TravelPod. Read the full blog here: http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/chriskatie/2/1215605580/tpod.html This blog ...
16/02/2012
Got the (officially unconfirmed but reliable) information that the road to Tad Xay has been repaired lately and is now good for traveling up to the waterfall
05/01/2012
Ban Hatkhai just opened a new "tourist office"in the village. Nice building (a picture wlll follow later). Congratulations for this initiative.
20/09/2011
The ‘biggest loser’ of biodiversity in the world for the past 50 years is Southeast Asia, a new study shows.
15/08/2011
The two elephants were killed on Friday afternoon but the villagers near Pak Ngum only found out about the accident on Saturday afternoon. Particularly tragic is the point that it was a female with two young (females) and that the youngest survived - but is now completely detached from the herd. I hope that the responsible authorities find an appropriate way to save the live of this young one. Still not sure about its age. Will keep you posted. K
14/08/2011
Two elephants (a mother with her young) died in Pak Ngum district when a lightning hit a large tree under which they were apparently seeking shelter. It seems to be a death caused by nature, not man - this time. However, it is another serious blow to the already battered elephant population of Phou Khao Khoauy. More news as soon as they are available. K
03/08/2011
An important yet disturbing article in the Vientiane Times on September 29, 2011, front page: http://laovoices.com/2011/07/29/wild-elephants-destroy-crops/
Three wild elephants have caused an estimated 96 million kip of damage to cassava, fruit and rubber tree plantations in Pakngum district, according to a district agriculture office official yesterday.
09/07/2011
We welcome a group of young people of 'World Challenge Australia' visiting Ban Na and the Elephant Observation Tower this week on their annual trip to Laos.
09/07/2011
A delegation of the Khammouane Provincial Tourism Office visited Ban Na this week on a study tour aimed to learn more about practicalities of community-based tourism and the "Ban Na success".
31/03/2011
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.travelfish.org%2Ffeature%2F217&h=f5b67
Trekking through Phou Khao Khouay National Protected Area in Laos in search of the endangered Asian elephant. —â Travelfish.org
09/03/2011
Researchers have discovered that a sound inaudible to the human ear tells others in the herd that a pregnant elephant is about to give birth
17/02/2011
Forest Fires are currently raging inside Phou Khao Khouay NPA. A considerable part of an orchid trek (2 ha) has been destroyed. Almost every year around this time of the dry season it's a saddening saga, since most of the fires are ignited by humans (carelessly thrown cigarette buts, for example).
05/02/2011
Who will sponsor proper sleeping mats (or , preferably, inflatable mattresses) for the elephant tower? Need at least eight of them... Too much for the villagers.
28/01/2011
Yes, there are elephants at Ban Na! They've been spotted this week several times (visually and acoustically) at the observation tower and close by. A great relief for all!!
15/12/2010
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fbbc.in%2FeP7d2L&h=42136
African elephants that invade farmers' crops have higher levels of stress hormones, say scientists, showing they perhaps anticipate the risks of the raid.
11/11/2010
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=36905&id=114268901924817&fbid=168749489810091
Green Discovery Laos is happy to support the community-based elephant conservation project at Ban Na, Bolikhamsay Province, and thus contributing to its sustainability. Heart of the project is the Elephant Observation Tower, from where tourists can watch wild elephants at close range. http://www.greendiscoverylaos.com/vt-t-04.htm A truly great experience! The elephants use to come here to visit a major saltlick - at which the tower is perfectly positioned.
Unfortunately, sightings of elephants have become less frequent in recent months. The reasons are unknown but may be attributed to a spree of elephant killings in 2009, only few kilometers away from the tower. At least 5 elephants have lost their lives by unscrupulous poachers, just to get few body parts to sell as aphrodisiac or traditional medicine in clandestine market places. The culprits, who for sure are no locals, have never been apprehended and put behind bars. The loss of so many individuals within one night rendered to be a big blow to the population of an already small elephant herd, but it may consequently also have had a lasting effect on the elephants’ behavior. What really happened, we do not know!
However, Green Discovery is determined to continue its support for Ban Na and not to stop bringing tourists to this small farming village. In contrary, GDL even calls on all tourists to make a (symbolic) stand against this vicious practice and to support elephant conservation but not punishing the villagers for something they’re not responsible for. This, of course, may include the risk to miss out and not seeing these fantastic animals. To assure everyone: elephants are there! But no-one can guarantee when they will show up at the tower or for how long they decide to roam around in other areas, occasionally to the “disappointment” of unprepared visitors. The elephants have shown their continued presence their way just few days ago by destroyed rice fields close to the village.
19/10/2010
The Vientiane Times reported today that a team of the Fredskorpset Lao Network, the Lao National Tourism Administration and the National Geographic Department gave tourism posters and brochures, financed by the Government of Norway, to Ban Hatkhai (page 6)
17/10/2010
By Cliff Gates from Canada Op...
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