High-tech monitoring keeps track of elephants

Roaming animals

A herd of wild elephants roaming through Yunnan has been making headlines worldwide.

Xiang Ruwu, head of the flora and fauna department at the Yunnan forestry and grassland bureau, said on Sunday that during a 41-day stay in rural areas of Yuxi city, the animals damaged property in more than 400 households. They ate crops such as bananas, corn, rice, mangoes, dates, dragon fruit, tobacco, sugar cane and sweet potatoes.

He said the authorities in Yunnan are compensating people for losses caused by the herd.

In 2010, the world's first public liability insurance for wildlife accidents was piloted in Xishuangbanna, covering property losses and personal injuries caused by wildlife under state and provincial protection.

Such insurance is available throughout Yunnan, and the public does not need to buy it separately, Xiang said.

Data from the bureau show that compensation totaling 173 million yuan was paid for losses caused by elephants from 2014 to last year.

Wang Qiaoyan, a senior engineer with the scientific research institute at Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve, said there is no evidence that the elephants' habitat has been destroyed.

"Fragmentation is a factor that causes wild elephants to frequently enter villages for food. Nature reserves are scattered in different counties and cities and not connected with each other," she said.

Wang, who has researched Asian elephants for 23 years, said recent studies have shown that their numbers are rising in Xishuangbanna, thanks to the effective management of nature reserves, increased public awareness and a lack of poaching.

Since the 1980s and 1990s, wild Asian elephants have roamed beyond their original habitats, while previously the animals were confined to Xishuangbanna and Pu'er, instead of heading further north, she said.

Elephants are intelligent and have good memories. If they reach a location and are unable to pass through it, or there is no good feeding on the way, they may choose to return to their forest home in Xishuangbanna.

"This process may take a long time, and in the absence of human intervention, the herd may continue to search until it finds a suitable habitat," Wang added.

Li Zhongyuan, head of the Xishuangbanna Wildlife Conservation Station, said the prefecture has made great efforts to protect wild animals and plants. It has issued local laws and regulations for their protection, while strictly enforcing legislation issued at state and provincial level, he said.

Every year, wildlife protection workers distribute brochures to villages, communities, schools and workplaces, highlighting the importance of protecting elephants.

"Local residents have greatly raised their awareness of this issue over the years. A great deal of information about rescuing elephants has been supplied by these residents," Li Zhongyuan said.