This is the story of five elephants, their mahouts, and the changing attitudes towards elephant tourism in Vietnam.
Suitable for All Ages
8 minutes
Vietnamese (English Subtitles)
Additional info
H’Plo was taken into the tourist industry as a calf and has changed owners and moved around over the years. She eventually came to be with her current mahout (meaning trainer or keeper) Nhat Bya and his family ten years ago, when Nhat was 16 years old.
With increasing government and community concern for elephant and tourist welfare, Nhat’s family agreed for H’Plo to be released from the riding industry to live in the forest. She can now roam, forage, socialise, play, bathe and express natural behaviours, some for the first time.
In 2018, Animals Asia signed an agreement with the Yok Don National Park to end elephant riding there, and to establish Vietnam's first ethical elephant tourism experience. The five elephants who now reside there do what they please, and tourists trek into the forest to observe them simply being elephants.
This is the story of these individual elephants, their mahouts, and the changing attitudes in the region.
Countries
Vietnam
Production Company
Animals Asia
Language
Vietnamese (English Subtitles)
Year of Production
2021
Parental rating
Suitable for All Ages
Suitable for All Ages
8 minutes
Vietnamese (English Subtitles)
Additional info
H’Plo was taken into the tourist industry as a calf and has changed owners and moved around over the years. She eventually came to be with her current mahout (meaning trainer or keeper) Nhat Bya and his family ten years ago, when Nhat was 16 years old.
With increasing government and community concern for elephant and tourist welfare, Nhat’s family agreed for H’Plo to be released from the riding industry to live in the forest. She can now roam, forage, socialise, play, bathe and express natural behaviours, some for the first time.
In 2018, Animals Asia signed an agreement with the Yok Don National Park to end elephant riding there, and to establish Vietnam's first ethical elephant tourism experience. The five elephants who now reside there do what they please, and tourists trek into the forest to observe them simply being elephants.
This is the story of these individual elephants, their mahouts, and the changing attitudes in the region.