—2002

The Elephant Caravan: 1,300 Km Across Laos to Save Asian Elephant

At the turn of the 21st century, Laos—once known as the “Land of a Million Elephants”—faced a drastic decline in its elephant population. In response, French conservationists Sébastien Duffillot and Gilles Maurer founded ElefantAsia in 2000, dedicated to safeguarding Laos’ Asian elephants.
Their first major initiative, The Elephant Caravan, was a 1,300-kilometer journey across Laos to investigate why elephants were disappearing.

Over four months, a team of 24 travelled with four elephants from Champassak to Luang Prabang, retracing ancient trails and gathering testimonies from local communities. They uncovered key threats: deforestation, poaching, wars, the fall in the birth rate due to the exhausting use of elephants in logging and the decline of traditional elephant-keeping practices.

The Caravan reignited the nation’s deep bond with elephants, attracting crowds eager to reconnect with these revered animals. It also led to a documentary, a book, and an exhibition, raising awareness about Laos’ disappearing elephants. More importantly, it cemented a lasting alliance between ElefantAsia and the mahout communities of Sayaboury Province, home to 75% of the country’s elephant population.

By retracing lost paths, the Caravan revived a crucial dialogue on coexistence—one essential to ensuring that elephants remain a living symbol of Laos’ heritage. ElefantAsia laid the foundation for ongoing conservation efforts, including its brainchild: the Elephant Conservation Center.