The Giant Friends Are Now in Hanoi
Starting September 30th, the photo exhibit “Lasts of the Tay Nguyen elephants” is now open to the public at 31 Trang Thi, Hanoi.
From September 30th to October 7th, 2025, the photo exhibit “Lasts of the Tay Nguyen Elephants” is now open to the public at 31 Trang Thi, Hanoi.
Tay Nguyen, also known as the Central Highlands of Vietnam, is recognized as the region that still possesses the largest number of tamed elephants in the country. The local indigenous people have a long-standing tradition of capturing and taming young elephants for both labor and ceremonial purposes. However, since the official ban on capturing wild endangered elephants was enacted in 1985, coupled with unsuccessful efforts in captive breeding, the population has dramatically decreased from over 500 to just 50 individuals as of this year.
The exhibit is organized by the Vietnam National Library, Now and Then magazine, and the authors from the Enter Vietnam Group. To curate this project, the authors dedicated several months to following these magnificent animals in Tay Nguyen, capturing images of their daily lives.
The exhibit features 50 large-sized images showcasing 50 out of the total 51 tamed elephants currently remaining in the Central Highlands. However, it is important for visitors to be aware that as of the opening day, the population has been reduced once again, as the beloved elephant known as Dalat’s Beckham was tragically killed recently.
The Asiatic elephant is classified as an endangered species by the IUCN, and their numbers have significantly dwindled over the past few decades.
Also available at the exhibit is the newly released book titled “The Giant Friends.” While the exhibit will conclude on October 7th in Hanoi, it will soon travel to Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang.
