The roaming wild Asian elephants of Yunnan, China, pose a challenge to conservation.

In early 2020, 16 wild Asian elephants I Elephas maximus i , an iconic species of the tropical forest of South-east Asia and a First Category Key Protected Wild Animal Species in China, left the tropical forests of Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve in Yunnan Province, on the China-Laos-Myanmar border, and headed northwards through a heavily modified anthropogenic landscape (see map below). In addition to investigating why elephants are leaving Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve and to considering a new action plan for Asian elephant conservation in the country, we need to ensure the safety of people in the areas through which the elephants pass, and that of these roaming elephants. [Extracted from the article]