In pics: wild Asian elephants in Jiangcheng County, SW China

This aerial photo taken on July 19, 2023 shows wild Asian elephants in Jiangcheng County, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Yang Zhisen) 

Thanks to uncompromising environmental and wildlife protection efforts, the population of wild Asian elephants in Yunnan has been growing in recent years. Feeling much safer than before, some of these elephants have become increasingly "rampant," and a daring "group tour" of an elephant family in the province even made a great scene in the global cyberspace back in 2021.

Jiangcheng County, which boasts a noticeable number of wild elephants, has inaugurated a special squad to monitor their movements. Once an elephant is found near a village, members of the squad would rush in, and deter it in a non-voilent manner. But if they fail to do so, cordon signs would be placed on site and warning messages would be sent to the villagers.

While staying indoor to avoid confrontation with these naughty giants, villagers do not have to worry about their crops in the field. An insurance plan is in place to cover possible damages, and generous compensations would be made in accordance to the amount of crops consumed or affected by the unaware invaders.

The Asian elephant, the continent's largest land animal, is under top-level protection in China. The species is mainly scattered in Yunnan's Xishuangbanna, Pu'er and Lincang.

Diao Faxing, member of an elephant monitoring squad, launches a drone to track the movement of wild Asian elephants in Jiangcheng County, southwest China's Yunnan Province on July 20, 2023. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua)

This aerial photo taken on July 19, 2023 shows a wild Asian elephant in Jiangcheng County, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Cui Wen)

This aerial photo taken on July 19, 2023 shows a wild Asian elephant at a tea yard in Jiangcheng County, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

This aerial photo taken on July 20, 2023 shows two members of an elephant monitoring squad in operation in Jiangcheng County, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

A wild Asian elephant feeds itself on a mango tree in Jiangcheng County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, on July 20, 2023. (Xinhua/Lyv Shuai)

This aerial photo taken on July 19, 2023 shows wild Asian elephants in Jiangcheng County, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Lyv Shuai)

This aerial photo taken on July 19, 2023 shows wild Asian elephants in Jiangcheng County, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Cui Wen)

This aerial photo taken on July 19, 2023 shows wild Asian elephants foraging at a paddy rice field in Jiangcheng County, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

A staff member places a cordon sign on a road where wild Asian elephants are found in Jiangcheng County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, on July 19, 2023. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

Li Jiangwei, member of an elephant monitoring squad, checks the infrared image of wild Asian elephants in Jiangcheng County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, on July 19, 2023. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua)