Over the past four decades, Asian elephants, an endangered species, have lost more than 75% of their habitat.
He is about to end up run over, his mother saves himOver the past four decades, Asian elephants, an endangered species, have lost more than 75% of their habitat.
Starting from the Xishuangbanna Nature Reserve, a total of fifteen Asian elephants are migrating north into the southern Chinese province of Yunnan, crossing several villages and towns, on a journey of more than 500km. Authorities have mobilized thousands of people to monitor their migration, suspend traffic on the roads they march on and try to keep them away from human settlements.
The monitoring team, made up of more than 360 people, 76 police cars and trucks and nine drones, is trying to guide the animals, including three baby elephants, by creating barriers and using food as bait to take them to low-density areas. of population. Fortunately, no one has been injured so far.
The reason for the unusual migration
Although the number of Asian elephants in China has increased from about 170 in 1980 to 300 today, habitat areas have decreased by about 75% from 2.084 km2 in 1976 to less than 500 km2 in recent years.
For this reason, experts point out that the reason for the migration would not be all that unusual. Having lost their natural environments and unable to get enough food in their habitat, Asian elephants must move to the edge of the forest and approach inhabited villages and farmland in order to eat.
The traditional buffer zones between humans and elephants are gradually disappearing, and the chances of humans encountering elephants naturally increase dramatically. " said Zhang Li, a wildlife biologist and mammal conservation professor at Beijing Normal University.
The conservation efforts of our pachyderm friends must be even greater. The recovery of their habitats is essential to prevent an extinction process that could be irremediable.
SOURCE: Xinhua / Global Times
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