Migrating elephants moving faster southward

KUNMING - The herd of 14 wandering wild Asian elephants in Southwest China's Yunnan province has quickened its pace southward, authorities said Saturday.

The herd traveled 10 km south and entered Tadian Township between 5 pm on Friday and the same time on Saturday. This is the fifth straight day they have been moving southward, according to the headquarters in charge of monitoring the elephants' migration.

A male elephant, which strayed 21 days ago, is now 53.3 km away in Jinning district in Kunming, the provincial capital.

The animals have traveled about 500 km north from their forest home in southern Yunnan's Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture, reaching Kunming on June 2.

For over a month, authorities have sent police to escort the herd, evacuated roads to facilitate the elephants' passage, and used food to distract them so that they don't enter densely populated areas.

On Saturday, 311 people were mobilized for the work, 3,494 residents were evacuated, and 3.9 tons of food and 4 kg of salt were provided to the elephants.

Asian elephants are primarily found in Yunnan and are under A-level state protection in China. Thanks to enhanced protection efforts, the wild elephant population in the province grew to about 300, up from 193 in the 1980s.