Wild Asian elephants in Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve have been spotted wandering along Laos’ northern border after a 17-month cross-country journey.
A herd of more than 30 wild Asian elephants was spotted leisurely foraging near the border with Laos in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture in Southwest China’s Yunnan Province, China Global Television Network reports.
Before returning to the reserve, the daring elephants wandered off for at least two days in apparent search of food near a village near the Laos-Vietnam international border.
The journey of the wild elephants, including calves, was captured on drone cameras, which caught video of the animals passing through the small towns.
Local wildlife authorities in the province have taken measures to make sure the elephants and villagers are safe.
In March 2020, a herd of 14 Asian elephants left their natural habitat in Xishuangbanna and traveled north.
The elephants reached human habitats in the outskirts of the provincial capital of Kunming in May, 2021.
