On Sunday morning, a herd of wild Asian elephants was seen entering the Wild Elephant Valley in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Yunnan Province.
A herd of 15 wild Asian elephants made headlines several months ago when they trekked through villages and towns for an extended period of time. A different herd was discovered in a more natural and safer location in the valley at the start of the new year.
“Xishuangbanna has entered its dry season. Wild elephants come here in groups to communicate with each other,” said Chen Jiming, an elephant caretaker in Wild Elephant Valley.
According to the caretaker, Xishuangbanna’s dry season runs from October to May, with large numbers of Asian wild elephants in China visiting the riverside in the Wild Elephant Valley.
As of Sunday, three herds totaling about 30 wild elephants had been discovered in the valley.
The prefecture’s largest wild animal rescue center, Wild Elephant Valley, was established in 1996.
