China: Elephant herd wanders toward city of 7 million
Over a dozen wild elephants have been strolling around fields and highways since they left a nature reserve. Their journey caused some $1.1 million worth of damage.
The herd of 15 elephants has caused over 400 incidents
A herd of 15 wild elephants on Wednesday was approaching the city of Kunming, the capital of southwest China s Yunnan province.
The group of Asian elephants, which includes three calves, have reportedly trekked for nearly 500 kilometers (300 miles) along highways and through fields of crops over the past months.
According to the Chinese state-run news agency, Xinhua, the herd on Wednesday was in Yuxi, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) from Kunming, a city of 7 million people.
Roaming elephants wreak havoc Share CLOSE A herd of wild Asian elephants makes its way in Yuxi s Eshan Yi autonomous county, Yunnan province, on May 28, 2021. [Photo/Xinhua]
Alerts issued as animals make 400-km journey in Yunnan
Many people from Yunnan province often claim to have seen wild animals, including elephants, roaming local streets, as the province is known as the nation s kingdom of wildlife .
However, such claims have recently been verified beyond a doubt.
Video footage taken on Thursday in the Eshan Yi autonomous county shows a herd of 15 wild Asian elephants roaming the streets in a downtown area at night after leaving their habitat in Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve in the south of Yunnan last year.
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