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The wild elephants that left Xishuangbanna to go north are only two or three kilometers away from Jinning District in Kunming City, southwest China's Yunnan Province. They are expected to enter Kunming, a city of 7 million people, this afternoon.
Authorities have mobilized thousands of people to monitor their migration, suspend road traffic, and use food to lure them away from human settlements. The provincial bureau of forestry and grassland has reminded the government of Kunming to issue timely warnings and take comprehensive precautions.
The 15 wild Asian elephants left the Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve and started marching north, passing through several counties and occasionally wandering into villages and towns.
Monitoring images show that the herd includes six female adult elephants, three male adults, three sub-adults and three cubs.
The herd is still on the move and has been traveling for almost 500 kilometers.
Timeline:
March 15, 2020 - Sixteen wild Asian elephants left Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve to Pu'er City and kept heading northward.
December 15, 2020 - One adult elephant dropped out, and two were born in the journey, according to Xinhua. The herd later arrived in Mojiang County on Pu'er City.
April 16, 2021 - The 17 elephants migrated from Mojiang County to Yuanjiang County in Yuxi City.
April 24, 2021 - Two of the elephants returned to Mojiang County after gaining access to alcohol at a villager's home and getting inebriated, while the remaining 15 elephants continued their journey.
May 27, 2021 - The elephants came upon the town of Eshan in Yuxi City and walked the streets for six hours after authorities evacuated pedestrians and vehicles and warned residents to stay indoors.
May 29, 2021 - The elephants were found entering Hongta District in Yuxi City, following a long journey from the province's southernmost prefecture Xishuangbanna starting from this April. They were around 100 kilometers away from Kunming, and over 400 kilometers away from their original habitat in Xishuangbanna.
May 31, 2021 - The herd arrived at the junction of Luohe Township and Dayingjie Street in Hongta District in Yuxi City. The staff used food to guide the elephants away from the city.
June 1, 2021 - The elephants entered Xinzhai Village in Yuxi City, which is only about 2 or 3 kilometers away from Jinning District.
June 2, 2021 - According to the current migration path, they are expected to enter the Jinning District in Kunming this afternoon.
What makes these endangered animals leave their habitat and march north is still a mystery. According to the Yunnan Forestry and Grassland Bureau, with more environmental protection measures taken, the forest canopy density and coverage rate have increased significantly in Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve. Inedible woody plants have gradually taken the place of undergrowth vegetation, such as plantains that are one of their favorite foods. Some researchers suspect that the reduction of plants to feed on is one of the reasons that forced the herd to move out of their protected areas.
Asian elephants are under first-class national protection in China and are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species. The population of wild Asian elephants has been increasing in China. There were only 193 wild Asian elephants in the 1980s.
For more:
Wild elephant herd less than 20 km from Jinning District, Kunming
Herd of 15 Yunnan elephants continue migration, leave experts puzzled
Wild Asian elephants migrate northward in SW China
(All images via VCG)
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