Lao Conservation Trust for Wildlife

While LCTW is a young and growing charity, our roots in Laos and the village of Ban Keun are very deep, with many of our staff working with animals on this site since the 1990s. LCTW operates on the site of the Lao Zoo, which continues to undergo a remarkable transformation into a leading hub of wildlife conservation in the country and soon will make the final transformation into the Lao Conservation Trust for Wildlife.

In 2015, the local owners of the Lao Zoo decided to make a major change and began to work with international conservation NGOs to see how the existing site could have a positive impact on the country and its wildlife. This eventually led to an exciting decision: to transform the zoo into a brand new facility for Laos, the country’s first ever multi-species wildlife conservation center. Since 2015 this project has only grown, leading to the establishment of the Lao Conservation Trust for Wildlife, a Lao-registered charity, in 2018. LCTW has provided new knowledge and expertise, allowing us to improve animals’ enclosures and diets, create stimulating enrichment schedules and provide 24/7 veterinary care for the unique wildlife housed here. We have made huge strides to improve the welfare of all animals in our care, from both new rescues to former zoo residents.

Every day this exciting project continues to grow beyond the Ban Keun site, as we implement new projects to conserve critically endangered species, while also spreading education and awareness to people throughout Laos on the importance of keeping wildlife wild. We have since also developed a UK arm of the charity, which aims to raise awareness and funds for our work on the ground in Laos.