Asian elephants spotted feeding at cornfield, swimming in SW China

A herd of elephants eat corn cobs at a cornfield in Jiangcheng County, Pu'er City, southwest China's Yunnan Province. /China Media Group

Wildlife conservation personnel have witnessed a group of wild Asian elephants roaming around their habitat and feeding in a cornfield in Pu'er City, southwest China's Yunnan Province.

The herd of elephants emerged from the forest and descended the mountainside one late afternoon in March.

"Elephants have their daily routine. They usually forage around 3 or 4 p.m., and they will bathe in rivers in hot weather. Also, they don't go back to the forest at night until the next morning," said Ma Wenhong, an Asian Elephant monitor at Jiangcheng County, Pu'er City.

After feasting on a field of growing corn cobs, they moved toward a river nearby.

The Asian elephant is not only the largest living land animal in Asia, but also the mammal with the longest pregnancy. In general, it takes 18 to 22 months for a female to give birth, so the birth rate of the elephants is low. In Pu'er City, nine baby elephants have been born since 2023, according to the latest data.

In China, the Asian elephants are mainly found in Pu'er City, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, and around Lincang City in Yunnan, with a population of about 360. The species are classified as national first-class protected animals.

The giant animals sometimes may threaten villagers' lives and properties. To better monitor elephants' activity and prevent the potential harm they may cause to people, the local government has hired professionals to conduct 24-hour tracking and monitoring of Asian elephants with a combination of drones and ground patrol.

Also, people whose croplands were damaged by wild animals, including Asian elephants, will get compensation with the special public liability insurance purchased by the local government.

"During the new insurance policy period, the city of Pu'er has raised compensation standards for crops damaged by wild animals. For example, the rate for rice has been raised from 810 yuan ($112) per mu (667 square meters) to 1,538 yuan per mu, and for corn from 690 yuan per mu to 1,017 yuan per mu," said Yang Yong, a senior engineer at the Forestry and Grassland Administration of Pu'er.

"Through these practices, the government hopes to protect wild animals and safeguard people's interests at the same time," Yang added.