Friday marks the fifth World Elephant Day. The day was officially founded and launched on August 12, 2012, by Canadian film-maker Patricia Sims and the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation. In China, this year's theme is to help elephants and humans co-exist.
The Chinese government and animal activists have been going all out to protect wild elephants. Now the numbers have grown, and the situation is improving.
Over three hundred wild elephants currently inhabit Xishuangbanna and Pu'er in the southwest China's province of Yunnan. Elephants casually roam the woods, searching for food, and water to take baths. This is a typical day in Xishuangbanna's Wild Elephant Valley.
"The elephants can sense people's friendliness here. Because people won't hurt them, so when the elephants have a problem, the first thing in their mind is coming here," said Shen Qingzhong, senior engineer of Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve.
Hundreds of tourists come to see the magical creatures. But in the eyes of locals, these adorable animals are trouble makers.
For elephants also pay visits to villages and streets. The three-meter giants raid local farmlands and often come in herds. They are especially fond of sugar cane and corn. Sometimes they even break into houses looking for food.
"It's the second attack on my house this year. When I dried the corn in my yard, they came to eat it all. A couple of days later, they came again when the corn's ready. Very clever, they just know when to come," said Hu Dewei, Tuanjie villager.
The uninvited guests give locals a headache. To solve the elephant-in-the-room problem, villagers tried firecrackers and barricades. But the measures only worked for a short period.
Now researchers are using new technology. Drones have been deployed to study the herd's habits and monitor their movements to alert villagers. The government and insurance companies have also increased compensation.
But experts say that the problem cannot be eliminated. The best way for humans and elephants to coexist is through education.
As long as they share a habitat, people need to understand the ways and needs of elephants.
