Rampaging herd of 15 elephants cause chaos as they plough through Chinese city of 7 million after 300-mile trek from nature reserve – as officials block roads and warn residents to stay indoors
- A rampaging herd of 15 elephants have trekked 300 miles after breaking out of nature reserve on April 16
- The wild animals have reached outskirts of Kunming, a southwestern Chinese city of seven million people
- More than 360 people have been involved with trying to divert the herd away from the city’s Jinning district
- Official notice warned residents not to engage with the elephants, not to leave food out and to stay indoors
- Experts say it is unclear what prompted the migration, but possible an ‘inexperienced’ male leader got lost
A herd of elephants that trekked 300 miles from a nature reserve have caused chaos by ploughing through a Chinese city of seven million people after experts claimed the ‘inexperienced’ male pack leader ‘got lost’.
The rampaging herd of 15 elephants left a trail of destruction as they reached the outskirts of Kunming, the capital of the Yunnan province, after breaking out of a nature reserve in Xishuangbanna Dai prefecture on April 16.
The wild animals have caused mayhem by walking down urban roads and sticking their trunks through residential windows in Kunming, despite officials’ efforts to divert them away from the populated southwestern city of seven million people.
Authorities announced it is ‘forbidden to surround and gawk at the elephants’ or disturb them using firecrackers or other materials after the herd reached Jinning, one of the seven districts of Kunming, late on Wednesday night.
Video footage, taken from the ground and by air by dozens of drones, shows the elephants wreaking havoc as they ploughed through residential streets, walked up people’s driveways, and munched on farm crops.
A herd of 15 elephants left a trail of destruction as they reached the outskirts of Kunming after breaking out of nature reserve in Xishuangbanna Dai prefecture on April 16. Pictured: Elephants captured on drone footage walking up a residential street
The wild animals have caused mayhem by walking down urban roads, eating farm crops (pictured) and sticking their trunks through residential windows in Kunming, despite officials’ efforts to divert them away from the populated southwestern city
Authorities urged residents to avoid contact with the elephants after the herd reached the Jinning district on the edge of Kunming, a city of seven million residents, late on Wednesday night. Pictured: Elephant walks up driveway to a house
Video footage (pictured), taken from the ground and by air by dozens of drones, shows the elephants wreaking havoc as they ploughed through residential streets, walked up people’s driveways, and munched on farm crops
The government of the semi-rural Jinning district issued a notice urging residents not to leave corn or other food in their yards that might attract the elephants and warned people to stay indoors and avoid contact with them.
The 15-strong group of elephants have passed through towns and smaller cities along their route – closing down streets, raiding barns, and causing damage worth an estimated $1million. No injuries have been reported.
On Tuesday, the herd turned up at a retirement home and poked their trunks into some of the rooms, prompting one elderly man to hide under his bed, according to residents interviewed by online channel Jimu News.
Roads have been blocked using lorries while 18 tons of pineapples and corn have been scattered in an attempt to lead the elephants away from the city’s populated Jinning district.
More than 360 people have been sent to try and divert the herd, including police using 76 squad cars, along with wildlife officers flying nine drones to monitor their progress.
Elephants are a protected species in China, meaning the herd will not be destroyed, while wildlife officers are also keen to avoid using tranquilizers on the infants.
The 15-strong group of elephants have passed through towns and smaller cities along their route – closing down streets, raiding barns, and causing damage worth an estimated $1million. Pictured: Elephants munch on farm crops on journey
More than 360 people have been sent to try and divert the herd (pictured), including police using 76 squad cars, along with wildlife officers flying nine drones to monitor their progress
Animal experts told Xinhua news agency that it is unclear what has motivated the elephants’ migration, which is the longest ever recorded in China and has seen them closing down streets (pictured left and right) on their journey
The elephants began their march – the longest of its kind on record in China – on April 16, wandering through farmland and smaller villages before reaching the city of Yuxi on June 1, and now the outskirts of the regional capital Kunming
Animal experts told Xinhua news agency that it is unclear what has motivated the elephants’ migration, which is the longest ever recorded in China. But they said it is possible the pack leader ‘lacks experience and led the whole group astray’.
Sixteen animals were originally in the herd, but the government said two returned home while a baby was born during the walk. The herd is now composed of six female and three male adults, three juveniles and three calves, according to official reports.
The wild herd had been living in the Xishuangbanna Dai Nature Reserve until moving out of the area more than a month ago and beginning their destructive march.
Last week, the elephants wandered on to the streets of a town called Eshan, close to Yuxi, and remained there for six hours with residents warned to stay indoors.
During that time, the elephants wandered the streets, broke into barns, ate out of rubbish bins and munched their way through nearby farmland.
When and how the elephants will be returned to the reserve isn’t clear.
Elephants are the largest land animals in Asia and can weigh up to five metric tons.
A herd of 15 wild elephants that has migrated 300 miles across rural China after breaking out of a nature reserve is now on the outskirts of Kunming city, home to 7million people (pictured on May 28)
Experts say it is unclear what caused the herd – three males, six females, three juveniles and three calves – to migrate, but say it is possible that an inexperienced male leader ‘got lost’
The elephants were spotted in E’shan county on May 28 (pictured) before migrating even further to the north, sparking fears they could try to enter Kunming, which they have now reached, as police and wildlife officers race to stop them
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