Learning to live with elephants
Early warning apps, teams of rangers help locals in Yunnan get along with their wild neighbors
Editor's note: As protection of the planet's flora, fauna and resources becomes increasingly important, China Daily is publishing a series of stories to illustrate the country's commitment to safeguarding the natural world.
For many residents of Dahuangba village in Xishuangbanna, wild Asian elephants were the neighbors from hell.
With their farms located on the edge of the rainforest where the elephants live, the locals could only watch in despair as marauding herds ate their fill.
Some unlucky residents have even found themselves trapped in their cars as curious pachyderms shook them back and forth as if they were toys. While it's all just fun and games for the elephants, experiences like these were terrifying for the average resident.
As such, the people of Dahuangba in Southwest China's Yunnan province used to hate wild Asian elephants.
However, attitudes are beginning to change in these rural communities thanks to the use of modern technologies such as early warning apps that track the whereabouts of these elephants, and dedicated teams of rangers who keep a close eye on the movements of herds.
A temporary sign sits at the side of the village's main road, ready to be used in the event of elephant sightings, reading:
"Wild elephants spotted ahead. Do not approach. Do not pass. Do not take photos. Do not try and chase them away."
Dahuangba local Tao Daqiang said that packs of elephants have become frequent visitors to his farmland, especially during harvest season, as they know where the good food is.
It doesn't help that the village is closely located to the Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve — a lush 241,000-hectare tropical forest and an area about one and a half times the size of London — a major habitat of wild Asian elephants.
"Almost all villagers have encountered the wild elephants one way or another in the past," Tao said. "I think the best way to achieve harmonious coexistence between the elephants and the villagers is to keep each other out of sight because no encounter with a wild elephant is pleasant."
