Two years after epic trek, China's 'wandering elephants' embrace new life home

KUNMING -- After years of incredible adventures, the elephant herd that gained widespread recognition for its epic journey through Southwest China's Yunnan province has now found solace in the familiarity of their hometown, as they are embracing the growth of their community and ushering in a new chapter in their lives.

According to experts, wild elephants are highly social animals, and the increase in the number of elephants and elephant families signifies a positive trend in the healthy reproduction of these majestic mammals.

LIFE BACK IN HOMETOWN

As the evening of May 9 approached, Peng Jinfu eagerly lifted his telescope, peering into the distance towards the mountainous forests of Dahuangba village, Dadugang township, in Yunnan's Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture. With anticipation in his voice, he whispered to himself: "It's time for the elephants to come down."

As expected, more than 20 majestic creatures slowly emerged from the trees, wagging their ears and their tails as they entered a watermelon field for a satisfying meal.

"The elephants usually come out for food at about 5 pm, and return to the woods around 8 or 9 am the next day," said Peng as he flew an unmanned aerial vehicle close to the elephants, filming and photographing them. His apprentice, Pu Yongbing, sent out early warning messages in WeChat groups to nearby villagers, urging them to maintain a safe distance from the majestic creatures.

These dedicated individuals monitor wild elephants by utilizing various techniques such as aerial surveillance and thermal imaging. They track the herds and provide early warning to nearby villagers as well as offer monitoring data for scientific research.

Through extensive observation, Peng became familiar with individual elephants, recognizing them by their size, ears and the shape of their nose.

According to his observations, there are currently two elephant groups roaming around together in the township. The majority of the wild elephants belong to the "Ranran family," while the other group, known as the "short-nose family," consists of four adult females, one sub-adult male, and two young elephants.

"The two young ones had noticeably grown plumper since returning from their remarkable journey," Peng said.

In March 2020, the "short-nose family" left a forest nature reserve in Xishuangbanna and trekked about 500 km northwards to the provincial capital Kunming, finally arriving in June 2021. They have since headed south again, making a safe return to the nature reserve.