His passing was confirmed by To Tuan Anh, Secretary of Lien Son Town in Lak District, where Long resided. According to Tuan Anh, Long, known by his Cham name Dang Nang Long, died on the afternoon of October 27 at his home in Buon Le, Lien Son Town, Lak District, Dak Lak Province.

Long came from a family with a deep tradition of elephant care, a legacy he carried forward with devotion. At one point, he owned seven elephants - the largest private collection in the country - and was recognized not only for his impressive herd but also for his love and profound understanding of these majestic animals. Long dedicated much of his life to the preservation and development of Vietnam’s elephant population.

In his quest to increase elephant numbers, Long spent years attempting to pair elephants for breeding and even offered a reward of 100 million VND to any elephant owner who successfully bred their elephant. Unfortunately, these efforts remained unsuccessful.

Long was also the first in Dak Lak to introduce a unique venture: feeding coffee beans to elephants, a process similar to the production of civet coffee, to create a special “elephant coffee” brand.

In recent years, Long had been working to establish a model for ethical and friendly elephant tourism in Ea Kao Commune, Buon Ma Thuot City. This project, however, remains unfinished due to his passing.

Hai Duong