The ecological degradation of their habitat received some attention during their months-long trek, but tenderness and amazement dominated the many millions of Chinese, who could follow the herd’s every step. The elephants were permanently filmed with drones. To this were added recordings from security cameras and videos of people who saw the elephants scurrying through their street from their apartment. The footage was broadcast on a special live stream on state television 24 hours a day.
Highlight: a nap in the sun, the birth of a calf and a break-in at a retirement home using a trunk in search of treats.
Things got tense for a moment when the elephants reached Kunming: would they walk into that provincial capital of seven million people? With 250,000 police officers, 1500 vehicles and gigantic amounts of sugar cane and fruit, the elephants were lured to a route specially marked out for them. Thirty Chinese biologists worked day and night to guide the animals back to the tropical jungle in the south.
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