An elephant herd who made their name in 2021 with an epic seven-month journey covering nearly 1,300 kilometers in southwest China's Yunnan Province have been once again in the spotlight around the World Elephant Day for their happy life and expanded family.
Monday marks World Elephant Day, an occasion to raise public awareness about the protection of these giant animals. Three years ago, this herd of wild Asian elephants, known as a "short-nosed" family, captured global attention with their unprecedented migration. Starting from their natural habitat in Xishuangbanna, they left footprints all the way north, almost to the provincial capital city of Kunming.
They have been living in the dense forests of the Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve since their return in August 2021, and the family has continued to grow over the years.
The latest footage shows several members of the family have had babies, and some now live together with other herds.
Peng Jinfu is an elephant monitor, who tracks the movements of the tusked neighbors using different methods to provide early warning for nearby villagers.
"The elephants we observed today belong to the 'short-nosed' and Ranran families. Typically, they emerge from the forest at around five or six o'clock in the afternoon to forage and return at around six or seven o'clock in the morning. During the summer and autumn months, they often roam the nearby villages," said Peng.
In addition to monitoring, local authorities have also strengthened efforts to help those in need. A rescue center on the reserve has saved over 20 elephants from the wild so far, either injured or deserted.
For the first time, the center tried to release one of them into the wild earlier this year after two years of training, which is seen as a breakthrough in conservation efforts.
"The elephant was released into the wild after two years of training. We've been using drones and infrared cameras to monitor it, and so far, A Bao (elephant's name) has been in a good physical condition," said Wang Bin, director of the Xishuangbanna Asian Elephant Rescuing and Breeding Center.
Experts say the world still faces multiple challenges and should join hands for the animals' well-being.
"We hope to have more international exchanges and cooperation in the future. I think China's experience and practices in elephant monitoring, conservation and research are worth sharing with more countries. And we hope for more cooperation to protect this species through sharing these information and knowledge," said Chen Fei, director of the National Asian Elephant Research Center at the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.
In Yunnan, preparations to establish a national park designated for Asian elephants are in full swing. The facility is expected to provide a larger and more complete habitat for the much-loved mammals.
World Elephant Day: Migrating elephant family grows after returning to habitat
