What, Where, When and Why.

My adventure begins in Laos.

Laos is a multi-ethnic country in the Southeast Asia with a population of only 6.5 million people (even the Dominican Republic has more people!). Laos is a very poor country and its surrounded by Thailand, Burma, China, Vietnam and Cambodia, some of which are emerging superpowers.

The kingdom of Lan Xang, founded by a Lao prince in the 14^th century, was originally the name of the country and it means “The Kingdom of one million elephants”. Thousands of years ago, elephants were the main military force (and yes, they were used in battles), so to announce that you have one million elephants, was like saying to your enemies that you have nuclear weapons.

There are less than 1000 elephants left in Laos, and only around 400 remain wild. Which means that most of them are domesticated and owned by the Mahouts. A mahout is a person that rides an elephant. Usually, a mahout starts a a kid when he is assigned an elephant early in its life and they would be attached to each other throughout the elephant's life. They will grow up together, live together and work together. When an elephant cannot work anymore (because its age or medical conditions), then they both retire. This is the most romantic and yet the most dangerous job ever.

The Elephant Conservation Center its the only institution of its nature in Laos, they provide free veterinary care to all these elephants, have a breeding program and an education program to try to teach the people of Laos why is so important to protect them. As a conservationist, this is the type of volunteer work I always wished to be involved with: Not just helping an endangered specie, but helping the people, and ultimately saving a culture.

So whenever the people ask me why I chose to work with elephants and of all places, why Laos; my answer to you is that I didn’t choose anything. Laos chose me, the land of one million elephants chose me.

Karla Nova

PS: Pictures not taken by me.