The Giant Friends Are Now in Hanoi

From September 30th to October 7th, 2025, the photo exhibit “Lasts of the Tay Nguyen Elephants” is open to the public at 31 Trang Thi, Hanoi.

Tay Nguyen, or the Central Highlands, is recognized in Vietnam for having the largest population of tamed elephants. The indigenous communities in this region have a long-standing tradition of capturing and domesticating young elephants for labor and ceremonial use. However, since the introduction of an official ban on capturing wild endangered elephants in 1985, combined with challenges in captive breeding, the once-thriving population has drastically decreased from over 500 to just 51 individuals.

The exhibit is organized by the Vietnam National Library, Now and Then magazine, and the creators of the Enter Vietnam Group. In order to compile the images for the project, the contributors dedicated months to following these magnificent creatures in Tay Nguyen, capturing their daily lives through photography.

The exhibit showcases 51 large-sized images, representing 51 of the 52 tamed elephants currently remaining in the Central Highlands. Unfortunately, as of the opening day, the number of surviving elephants has further declined, with the tragic loss of Dalat's Beckham, who was recently killed.

The Asiatic elephant is classified as an endangered species by the IUCN, and their population has diminished significantly over the past few decades.

Also featured at the exhibit is the newly published book "The Giant Friends." The exhibit will conclude on October 7th in Hanoi but is slated to travel to Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang shortly thereafter.