China: After a 500-kilometre journey in 17 months, herd of roaming elephants is on its way home

After an epic 17-month journeyAnd the famous A herd of roaming elephants from China Looks like he’s finally back home the animals They were guided across the Yuanjiang River In Greece on Sunday night and A path has been opened for them to return to the nature reserve in Xishuangbana Dai Autonomous Prefecture.

The return of the 14 elephants completes a journey of more than 500 km, who – which Started in March 2020 When 16 elephants left the nature reserve in southwest China’s Yunnan Province to move to the north of the country, NS He captured the whole world.

the Highlights of his trip included the birth of a calf In Pu’er City, Mujiang County, in November last year and More than 6.8 million yuanAccording to estimates by the state broadcaster CGTN

But perhaps the most noticeable is the file A nap in the woods that has gone viral. In June, drone footage showed A herd sleeps in the woods Outside a village in Xiyang Town. When they start to move again, More than 410 emergency personnel, 374 vehicles and 14 drones have been deployed with more than two tons of food for the elephants.

Local wildlife experts were unable to determine why the herd decided to move. But Zhang Li, professor of mammal conservation at Beijing Normal University, told Global Times state in june that Large-scale human engineering advances have exacerbated the ‘island’ of elephant habitats.

This means that “the traditional buffer zones between humans and elephants are gradually disappearing, and the animals’ chances of encountering humans naturally increase exponentially,” he said.

Not everyone greeted the behavior of roaming elephants, Some locals complained of eating fields full of corn and trucks full of pineapples. A car dealer in Ishaan province reported that six visiting elephants drank two tons of water in his shop.

Asian elephants are among the most protected animals in China and their population has grown to about 300, despite the fact that their habitat has shrunk due to urban and agricultural expansion.