Elephant Conservation Center

Located in the heart of Laos’ elephant homeland, on the shores of the Nam Tien Lake in Sayaboury Province, the Elephant Conservation Center (ECC) is the country’s leading organization dedicated to the long-term survival of Asian elephants. For more than 20 years, ECC has combined science, compassion, and traditional knowledge to protect elephants and the forests they depend on.

ECC is home to the largest herd of elephants under human care in Laos and operates the country’s only Elephant Hospital, alongside breeding, research, and rewilding programs. Our work follows a clear, science-based vision: rescue, rehabilitate, reproduce, reherd, rewild, research, and respect. Since 2019, ECC has successfully reintroduced elephants back into protected forests—a first in Laos.

Why Volunteer with ECC?
Volunteering at ECC is not about entertainment or close contact with elephants. It is about meaningful contribution. As a volunteer, you become part of an active conservation team working alongside Lao mahouts, veterinarians, and biologists. Your time supports real projects: behavioral observation, habitat restoration, data collection, elephant welfare monitoring, and environmental education.

Set within a 540-hectare protected landscape, volunteering at ECC offers full immersion in the realities of conservation—ethical, hands-off, and welfare-first. Every task you take part in directly supports elephant well-being.