Help the elephants of Cambodia & EVP post pandemic

Dear Friends of EVP,

We want to start by sharing the best news we could possibly give; we have officially matched the funding for Darling! She is now fully secured and will spend the rest of her life safe at EVP alongside her best friend, Doe. The final stretch of fundraising went well, and thanks to an incredibly generous donation from a visiting family, we reached the goal. Knowing that both Doe and Darling are now permanently protected brings enormous relief and happiness to everyone at EVP.

The start of 2026 has brought renewed hope, important milestones, and many positive moments for the elephants and forests of the Elephant Valley Project. Thanks to your continued generosity, we are able to provide long-term care and protection for the elephants who call EVP home, while also supporting the Bunong community and protecting vital forest habitat.

On April 10 we had our Khmer New Year party with our staff! It was a big party, shared with a lot of happiness. We handed out some staff awards and shared good dance moves. 

This time of year (the dry season) always brings challenges, not only for local communities but also for the wildlife that shares the land. As the dry season settled in over the past months, the landscape around us changed significantly. Water sources began to shrink, vegetation became sparse in exposed areas, and nearby land clearing increased in preparation for the rainy season. At the same time, wild elephants have been spending more time near EVP.

To ensure our seven elephants continued to have access to sufficient food and water, we relocated them deeper into the forest where conditions remained much better. These areas still offered shade, natural water sources, fresh wet mud, and a greater variety of forage. Seasonal movements like these are essential, but they require careful planning and constant monitoring. Our team and mahouts work closely together every day, observing behavior, diet, and overall health to make sure each elephant continues to thrive despite the harsher dry season conditions.

Elephant Conservation ProgramCaptive Elephant Care & Rehabilitation @ the Elephant Valley Project

Your donations directly support the daily care, rehabilitation, enrichment, and protection of our resident elephants.

Pearl has made excellent progress, with the wounds on her backside continuing to heal and remaining closed, allowing her medication to stop for now. She remains calm during treatments and enjoys long days foraging and relaxing in mud baths.

Ruby continues to adapt well despite her glaucoma. Daily treatments are helping keep her comfortable, and although she occasionally bumps into branches, she remains resilient and enjoys regular mud baths.

Hen is doing well overall and remains relaxed and active. His facial abscess required renewed daily flushing after swelling increased, but it is now improving again. He also recovered well from a large swelling that was treated with medication and ice. Due to nearby wild elephant activity, he was moved to a different forest area where he enjoyed spending time near the river.

Ning Wan made great progress with her foot training during Steve’s visit and now reliably participates, although she still tries to outsmart the team for extra snacks. Despite her age, she continues to move energetically through the forest.

Gee Chreng remains in excellent health and continues building confidence within the herd. She has also progressed very well with target and foot training, allowing the team to trim her nails when needed and preparing her for any future medical care.

Doe and Darling remain inseparable and continue to enjoy exploring the forest together. Earlier this year they were treated successfully for worms and quickly returned to their energetic selves. Daily mud baths together remain one of their favorite activities, often accompanied by Darling’s enthusiastic trumpeting.

Mobile Vet Team Project

We went out to see a female elephant in a different village which had an eye problem. We gave medicine and trained the owner how to administer medication. When our vet team went back to check she is doing much better. We are very proud of our vet team. Your support ensures we are always prepared to respond when elephants or community animals need urgent assistance.

Natural Resource Protection

Our tree nursery continues to grow steadily. We are currently nurturing native tree species including Beng, T’nong, Wild Plum, Wild Almond, Wild Jackfruit  and different species of resin trees. We also propagated around 250 bamboo roots. Which will eventually help restore important forest areas in Mondulkiri.

The dry season also highlighted how important intact forests remain for both wildlife and local communities. Protecting these habitats continues to be one of EVP’s highest priorities.

Ecotourism Program – Elephant Valley Project

This high season brought a welcome increase in visitors back to the forest. After the long-lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been encouraging to see more guests, volunteers, and educational groups returning to EVP, but unfortunately there is now the conflict in the middle east affecting us. 

We had many guest helping out at our project: from helping in the tree nursery to assisting with maintenance and learning about ethical elephant care and forest conservation. We also welcomed several educational groups to the valley, that allowed students to fully immerse themselves in conservation work, Bunong culture, and responsible tourism.

While ecotourism is slowly improving, it still only covers part of our monthly operational costs. Medical care for elephants, forest protection, staff salaries, and community support programs remain expensive, and donor support continues to be absolutely essential in helping us maintain a high standard of care year-round.

We are deeply grateful for your generosity, which keeps EVP moving forward even during financially challenging periods.

Community Support Program

Your support reaches far beyond the elephants themselves, but we also support the community in different ways.

Rice for Forest Protection: Each month, we continue providing rice to 89 Bunong families in exchange for protecting forest habitat and allowing the elephants to roam freely within their ancestral lands. This support helps families meet their basic needs while preserving critical elephant habitat.Healthcare Access: When medical emergencies arise, your donations allow us to transport community members to hospitals in Sen Monorom. This period we welcomed 2 new babies in our community! Whether helping someone with a serious illness or assisting women in labor, your support continues to make a direct and life-saving difference.

Programs Currently On Hold (Awaiting Funding)

• Elephant Education Days
• School Support Project
• Community Development Project

These programs remain extremely important to both conservation and community welfare, and we hope to restart them in the future with additional funding support.

Thank You 

Your generosity allows elephants like Doe and Darling to remain safe for life, gives Pearl the medical care she needs, helps Ruby continue navigating the forest despite her blindness, and ensures that elephants across EVP can live peacefully in protected forest habitat.

From all of us at the Elephant Valley Project we say thank you for believing in our mission and standing with us through every challenge and every success. Together, we are building a more compassionate and sustainable future for elephants, forests, and communities.

With love from the valley,

The EVP Team