Photo/Chinanews.com
More than 10 wild elephants recently invaded a village in Mengla County in southwestern China's Yunnan province, according to the local forestry police on Feb. 10. There were no reports of injuries or casualties, as authorities came quickly to the rescue.
The incident occurred while thousands of villagers were gathered to celebrate the Gatangpa Festival, a major festival for the Hani ethnic minority. The elephants trampled several chickens and geese, walked along the highway and ate some of the village's crops. Police said the elephants stood nearby, wandering the fields and farmland in search of food after the sun set.
During the incident, over 100 mu, or 6.66 hectares of bananas, were eaten by the hungry elephants. A significant portion of farmland was also destroyed by the elephants' heavy footsteps.
According to the forestry administration, many cases of elephant invasions have been reported in nearby villages. Police have taken measures to teach locals how to protect both themselves and the elephant intruders.
