Conflict escalates between humans and elephants

The use of drones to help establish an early-warning monitoring system to avoid such incidents is one of the latest attempts by local authorities to minimize conflicts between humans and elephants.

In the past three decades, the number of elephants in China has doubled to about 300, and since 2013, they have caused more than 60 deaths and injuries. Damage to property caused by the animals from 2011 to last year is estimated at more than 170 million yuan ($24.2 million), according to the Yunnan Forestry and Grassland Administration.

Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture, under whose jurisdiction Mengla county falls, is one of the elephants' primary habitats. They can also be found in Pu'er and Lincang, Yunnan.

The Asian elephant, which is included on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species as "endangered", enjoys Class-A protection in China, the same as that afforded to the giant panda.

In the Nanha community at about 11 am on Aug 10, Wu was catching up on some sleep in his off-road vehicle in an area shrouded by rubber trees and lush jungle. His pants, T-shirt and socks, which were still wet after being washed, were laid out in the vehicle to dry. The white T-shirt he was wearing was heavily sweat-stained.

"I have only changed my clothes twice in the past seven days," the 34-year-old muttered while rubbing his eyes, adding that after he washed his clothes he had to continue checking for elephants before they dried.

Wu returned to his hotel at about 3 am on Aug 10 for a short time after finding that the elephant plaguing Mengla county had entered the jungle.

He had checked out of the hotel, as he didn't know when he would be able to return.

From Aug 4 to 7, the intensive nature of his work meant that he had to sleep in his vehicle.

"I have to make full use of every short break to get some sleep, as I don't know what will happen next," he said. While the elephant was in the urban area, Wu said he was joined by three officials from the local forestry and grassland administration.

But that weekend, the officials had to attend a conference in Jinghong, Xishuangbanna's capital, on protecting the Asian elephant, leaving Wu as the sole monitor with experience of operating a drone.