China's migrating elephant herd lingers in southwest township

Aerial photo taken on June 14, 2021 shows a herd of wild Asian elephants in Shijie Township of Yimen County, Yuxi City, southwest China's Yunnan Province. China's famous herd of wandering elephants continued to linger in Shijie Township, authorities said.(Xinhua)

KUNMING, June 17 (Xinhua) -- China's famous herd of wandering elephants has headed 2.6 km northwest and continued to linger in Shijie Township in the city of Yuxi, southwest China's Yunnan Province, authorities said.

A male elephant, which strayed 11 days ago, is about 19.7 km away from the herd now. All 15 elephants, however, are safe and sound, according to the headquarters in charge of monitoring their migration.

The animals have been actively moving, complicating the efforts to guide and monitor them and take safety precautions.

The headquarters have done studies related to the compensation of losses caused by the elephants and have continued to organize experts to work out plans to guide their migration.

The herd traveled about 500 km from their forest home in the Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture before reaching Kunming, the provincial capital, late on June 2.

For over a month, authorities have sent police to escort the herd, evacuated roads to facilitate their passage, and used food to distract them from entering densely populated areas.

Asian elephants are primarily found in Yunnan and are under A-level state protection in China. Thanks to enhanced protection efforts, the wild elephant population in the province has grown to about 300, up from 193 in the 1980s.