Walking across China is quite tiring! Elephant herd takes a snooze after embarking on 300-mile trek since escaping from a nature reserve
- Herd of 15 elephants broke out of a nature reserve in southern China on April 16 and began a long march north
- They have since walked 300 miles, the longest migration on record in China, damaging farmland along route
- The group were pictured lying down together in a forest, with their legs and trunks sprawled over the ground
Advertisement
Incredible pictures show China‘s famous herd of wandering elephants stopping for a well-earned rest after a record 300-mile trek across the country following their escape from a nature reserve.
The migrating herd of wild Asian elephants look exhausted as the group lay down together in a forest, with their legs and trunks sprawled out over the ground.
The herd appear to be sleeping in a pyramid shape as one baby elephant can be seen clinging onto an adult’s leg whilst one rests its trunk on another.
The 15-strong group have been wandering north towards the city of Kunming, in Yunnan province, since April 16 when they broke out of a nature reserve in Xishuangbanna Dai prefecture. They were spotted sleeping in the nearby Xinyang Township on Monday.
During their epic journey, the elephants have wandered the streets, broke into barns and munched their way through farmland, causing an estimated 6.8 million yuan ($1.1 million) worth of damage.
The migrating herd of wild Asian elephants look exhausted as the group lay down together in a forest, with their legs and trunks sprawled out over the ground
A baby elephant looks content as it rests its front legs on the back of another sleeping elephant in the forest on Monday
Nap time! An elephant sleeps with its herd after walking 300 miles across China in a forest near the Xinyang Township
Since beginning their epic journey, the elephants have wandered the streets, broke into barns and munched their way through farmland, causing an estimated 6.8 million yuan ($1.1 million) worth of damagea
Roads have been blocked using lorries while 18 tons of pineapples and corn have been scattered in an attempt to lead the elephants away from the city’s Jinning district
Elephants are a protected species in China, meaning the herd will not be destroyed, while wildlife officers are also keen to avoid using tranquilizers on the infants. Pictured: The elephants are left to roam through the neighbourood near the Shuanghe Township, Jinning District of Kunming city in southwestern China’s Yunnan Province on June 4