BEIJING — A mammoth trek across southern China by a herd of elephants that has captivated the world with their playful antics has thrown a spotlight on the loss of their habitat and conservation challenges.
The lumbering mammals have journeyed around 500 kilometers (310 miles) from their home in one of the longest animal migrations of its kind recorded in China.
Scientists are still baffled by what prompted the elephants to leave their home at the Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve, bordering Laos.
Since setting off in spring last year they have pilfered shops and trampled crops worth over $1 million, and thousands of residents have been evacuated from their pa…
Keep on reading: March of the elephants: China’s rogue herd spotlights habitat loss