Local authorities in Jiangcheng County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, have strengthened monitoring and early warning mechanisms to prevent wild elephants from invading villages and damaging farmland.

A wild Asian elephant was spotted walking past the gate of a residential house in a local village last Wednesday, giving villagers quite a fright. 

To avoid conflict between elephants and humans, local villagers familiar with the terrain are hired as monitors to track the elephants. Drones have also been used.

Losses caused by elephants will be covered by wildlife public liability insurance after verification.

Asian elephants are considered endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. There are more than 30 wild Asian elephants living in Jiangcheng City's Kangping Town. Although most wild elephants usually avoid humans, they will attack if threatened.

Yunnan is the main habitat of wild Asian elephants in China. Human deaths and injuries, as well as crop damage from wild elephants, are not uncommon.

(Cover image via VCG)

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