A herd of 42 wild Asian elephants were spotted in Mengla County of southwest China's Yunnan Province recently, according to footage captured by the local monitoring team.
According to the team, the herds including 13 baby elephants mainly traveled between Mengban Town and neighboring Yaoqu Yaozu Township.
They displayed adorable and playful behaviors, often gathering in groups to bathe and frolic in the river.
According to the infrared thermal imaging captured by drones, three adult elephants slowly descending from the mountains, making their way towards the cornfields near the river. Shortly after, the other 39 elephants followed in batches.
The herds are strolling in Mengban Town at present.
In April, another herd of 41 wild Asian elephants appeared near the Shangyong Protection Area in Mengla County.
As wild Asian elephants are typically solitary or live in small groups, rarely coming together in such large numbers, the consecutive sightings of two separate herds of over 40 elephants in different areas were exceptionally rare.
According to local forestry officials, this is the largest recorded number of wild Asian elephants observed in Mengban.
The local government has organized elephant monitors to track and record real-time information about the herd as it has affected the daily lives and personal safety of nearby villagers.
Large wild Asian elephant herd spotted in Yunnan
A Canadian cruise passenger currently in isolation has tested presumptive positive for hantavirus, health authorities in Canada's British Columbia province announced Saturday.
Bonnie Henry, a provincial health officer, said the patient began developing mild symptoms, including fever and headache, two days ago and was taken to a local hospital. The presumptive positive result came back on Friday and the person is currently being treated in isolation as a positive patient.
The result still awaits final confirmation from a microbiology laboratory over the weekend, said Henry.
The patient is among 10 Canadians nationwide currently placed in isolation due to the cruise ship outbreak. Of the total, four are undergoing a 21-day monitored isolation in British Columbia, while the remaining six are isolated in Alberta, Ontario and Quebec. The presumptive positive case is one of the four isolated in British Columbia, while the partner has tested negative.
Henry emphasized that none of the individuals in isolation had come into contact with the public during their transfer, and all involved health-care workers wore full personal protective equipment. She reassured the public that the virus does not have "pandemic potential" and there is no need for widespread panic.
The outbreak occurred aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius and has caused three deaths so far. The incubation period for hantavirus generally ranges from one to eight weeks.
Canadian in isolation tests presumptive positive for hantavirus
Canadian in isolation tests presumptive positive for hantavirus
