Wild elephants, villagers get on well in Xishuangbanna

Villagers and elephants coexist harmoniously in south Yunnan’s Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture. Zaogutian village, for example, is home to over 40 families, and it is surrounded by pristine forests stretching over ten kilometers. During the corn harvest season, wild Asian elephants often visit the village, strolling and snacking around.

“This time, we saw a herd of elephants,” said Mr. Zhang, a villager. For many people, getting so close to wild elephants is a rare privilege, but for local folks, these elephants are like old friends. Four years ago, an elephant wandered into villager Zhang’s courtyard, looked around and then left.

Zhang has lived in the village for over 30 years. Together with elephant monitors Peng and Luo, he constantly tracks the movements of the Asian elephant herds. Standing on a hillside, they observe the herds and use their phones to send alerts, warning nearby villagers to avoid working in fields where the elephants are active.

"Wild elephants are very cautious. If they see your movement as a threat, they might attack you," said Zhang.

When night falls and the elephants have their fill, they will retreat into the forest. Zhang said the herd frequently seen in this area is part of a larger wild elephant family. This large family often breaks into smaller groups, sometimes numbering over 20 elephants.

Writing by Duan Jinhua at Xishuangbanna media center; trans-editing by Wang Yunya