According to the people in Thanh Son Commune, since 2018, wild elephants have started coming to their villages. At first, there were only one or two elephants that came out then more and more elephants joined them. Since early 2020, the elephants come to the villages every night to search for food.

The elephants used to come out at 11 pm and returned to the forest at 4-5 am. For over two months, the elephant herd went to Hamlet 5 much earlier at 6 pm and returned to the forest at 8 am so no one dares to stay late outside. There have been no injuries but the crops have been severely damaged.

They also go to the villages much more often. The villagers said they only had to deal with the elephants once or twice a week previously but now, the herd has come out almost every night. They have damaged the crops and even went into some houses to find food.

Huynh Thi Cuc in Hamlet 5 said, "We have over 3.5ha of mango trees. During last year harvest season, the elephants ruined over 10 tonnes of mangoes and destroyed many trees. This year, they have ruined nearly four tonnes of mangoes so far and our water pipes."

Huynh Thi Cuc stands beside a mango tree