China’s Asian elephant population is steadily growing and its range is expanding – China News Service

　　China news serviceKunming, August 12 (Reporter Miao Chao) August 12 is World Elephant Day. Asian elephants in China are only found in Yunnan Province. On the same day, reporters from the Yunnan Provincial Forestry and Grassland Bureau learned that after years of hard work, the population of Asian elephants in China has gradually increased and the area Their distribution has continued to expand.

Data provided by the Yunnan Provincial Bureau of Forestry and Grassland shows that the number of wild Asian elephants has increased from about 150 to more than 300 in the past 30 years; ) in the 1990s). , districts), 61 towns.

In China, the Asian elephant is a key species and a star species for biodiversity conservation It is a first-class national protected wild animal and an Appendix I species of the Convention on International Trade in Species Endangered Wildlife and Flora (CITES).

In recent years, Yunnan Province has implemented habitat protection and restoration, selected suitable forest areas inside and outside nature reserves, and renovated and restored surplus on 12,000 acres of Asian elephant habitat to provide suitable and sustainable habitats for Asian elephants.

Meanwhile, Yunnan Province continues to develop public liability compensation standards for wildlife. From 2021, the level of public liability insurance for wildlife in the Asian elephant range has increased continuously. investment in Yunnan Province.

In addition, Yunnan Province established the Xishuangbanna Asian Elephant Rescue and Breeding Center, which successfully rescued trapped and injured Asian elephants. Recently, China released a wild elephant that was rescued from the wild for the first time in Xishuangbanna. After nearly three months of research, the wild elephant “Po” has basically adapted to wild life and is in good health after returning to nature.

It is worth mentioning that Yunnan Province has also established a joint protected area of ​​nearly 200,000 hectares with many areas in northern Laos to ensure a natural exchange between Yunnan Asian elephants and wild Asian elephants in Laos and Myanmar, and to avoid the problem of genetic contamination. of the people. (over)