Asian elephant herd welcomes two calves in Xishuangbanna nature reserve

In March 2020, a herd of Asian elephants drew online attention when they journeyed through northern Yunnan province, eventually settling in the Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture's Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve, where they have lived comfortably ever since. The happy family recently welcomed two new calves, bringing their number to 22.

According to Zhou Chenhao, director of the Asian Elephant Protection and Management Center's monitoring office, two other well-known elephant herds reside in the region, the Ranran Family and the Dalubao Family. Each has grown to roughly 30 members.

The elephants forage for food when hungry, cool off by playing in the water on hot days, and regularly gather for social interactions.

"Now, over 300 elephants live in Xishuangbanna," said Zhou.

The revised Yunnan Provincial Regulation on the Protection of Terrestrial Wildlife is set to take effect on Aug 15, aiming to enhance the protection of elephants and other wildlife in the region, according to local authorities.