Arthur Greene
After a 500 kilometre trek across China’s countryside, a group of 15 elephants stopped for a well earned rest.
Since breaking out of their nature reserve in southern China in April 2020, the herd of pachyderms has captured the hearts of the nation as they travelled north. Now they’re on their way to global stardom too.
To begin with there were 16 elephants. But two broke off from the rest of the group and returned home, while one baby was born during the walk, according to state media.
The herd is now composed of six female and three male adults, three juveniles and three calves, according to official reports.
The Chinese public has followed the group, as they’ve raided farms for food and water, meandered through villages, and even paid a visit to a retirement home.
An old man hid under his bed when one of the more curious members of the herd stuck its trunk through his window!
The Chinese government has dished out considerable resources to protect the herd, and keep it away from residential areas.
They have been tracked 24 hours a day by an eight person team formed by the Yunnan forest fire brigade.
They were most recently spotted outside a village in the Xiyang township taking a nap together.
The group was photographed by a drone all stretching out together for a long, peaceful sleep in a forest.
Authorities have used the time to block local roads, and lay down over 18 tonnes of pineapples and corn to lure the elephants away from the city’s Jinning district.
The adventurous herd has reportedly been causing mayhem across the country’s farmland, racking up almost R15 million worth damage to crops!
Animal experts told Xinhua news agency that they have no idea what has motivated the elephants’ migration, which is the longest ever recorded in China.
One leading theory is that the group’s leader “lacks experience and led the whole group astray.”
Image source: @alittlelilybean
