The forests along the Viet Nam-Laos border were once home to many wild elephants. But today, barely 100 remain.

A new plan recently signed by Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai aims to help the decimated population recover.

Underthe 278 billion VND (13.3 million USD) plan, three conservation areasfor wild elephants will be set up in Pu Mat, Cat Tien and Yok Donnational parks and those who illegally hunt, transport or sell elephantmeat or tusks will see stricter punishments.

The plan will also fund research on the animal's reproductive cycle in an attempt to increase the population.

Althoughexact numbers are unknown, the Vietnam Administration of Forestryestimates that between 75 and 130 elephants remain in the country,scattered in the provinces of Dong Nai, Ha Tinh, Nghe An, Quang Nam andThanh Hoa as well as throughout the Central Highlands.

ProfessorDang Huy Huynh, chairman of the Vietnam Zoological Society, praised theplan but emphasised the importance of involving local people.

"Itis imperative to issue policies to encourage ethnic minorities,including Ede , Gia Rai and M'nong, who live in the Central Highlandsregion – a major home of elephants – to join hands to protectelephants," he said.

Because these people may know more about elephants than anyone does, he explained, their knowledge could help the plan succeed.

Huynhalso pointed out that since elephants' habitats are about 20-30kilometres wide, much bigger than those of other wild species,conservation areas needed to be built on a large scale with plenty offood and suitable ecosystems.

The Ministry of Agriculture andRural Development will co-operate with relevant agencies to implementthe plan, which will be funded by the State budget as well asinternational organisations and individuals.-VNA