The wild Asian elephant herd in Southwest China's Yunnan Province has stopped moving north and is instead heading southwest toward its original habitat.
The elephants departed Yimen county, where they had been wandering for more than 10 days, and reached Eshan county Friday. From 6 p.m. Friday to 6 p.m. Saturday, the herd moved 3.09 kilometers (2.4 miles) to the southwest.
The herd has begun to return and move southward, according to experts, although the time and path remain unknown.
This is the second day in three days that the herd has moved southwest rather than north or northwest, which was its original path. The Xishuangbanna Nature Reserve, where they originated, is located to the southwest.
The herd departed Xishuangbanna in March 2020, pausing for many months when one of the herd gave birth. They began their northward journey April 16, which was an unusual move. According to local experts, the herd appears to be returning south, but there is no way of knowing when or by what routes.
On Saturday, satellite footage showed the herd passing a tiny river on a mountain as it descended. After a brief pause, the herd squeezed through a small passage in the river rather than swimming across.
Conservationists found that elephants had recently consumed tree bark in addition to their regular diet of corn and sugarcane by analyzing their feces.
The lone elephant that previously left the herd has been gone for 14 days and is presently wandering at the edge of forest near the neighboring city, Anning, 24.9 kilometers (15.4 miles) to the northeast of the herd.
According to experts, the lone elephant is not organized or disciplined, thus it is more prone to invade settlements in search of food. This has raised the possibility of an injury, therefore it must be constantly monitored.
