HANOI, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam plans to establish a nearly 19,000-hectare elephant conservation area to protect elephant in the country's central Quang Nam province, according to local official on Wednesday.
Tu Van Khanh, deputy head of Quang Nam sub-department of Forest Protection Department was quoted by local media as saying that the area is expected to be located in 15,000 hectares of natural forest, and over 4,000 hectares of non-forest land in two communes in Quang Nam's Nong Son district, some 650 km south of capital Hanoi.
The proposal, which is being evaluated by Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, is forecast to help protect, maintain and develop remaining elephant population as well as restore and develop their habitats and food sources, said Khanh.
Earlier in 2015, Vietnam's Directorate of Forestry chose Quang Nam located in the project area of "Emergency to protect elephants in Vietnam."
