(Biodiversity Conference) Yunnan will establish a scientific long-term mechanism for Asian elephant control

  China News Service, Kunming, October 13 (Reporter Han Shuinan) "In order to better respond to the Asian elephant migration incident and protect the Asian elephant population, Yunnan will establish a sound scientific and long-term management and control mechanism that conforms to the law of Asian elephant survival and growth." People of Yunnan Province This is what Wang Xiangang, the vice governor of the government, said at the press conference of the high-level meeting of the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) of the Convention on Biological Diversity held on the 13th.

  In March 2020, more than 10 wild elephants left the nature reserve in Xishuangbanna, began to head north, embarked on an "expedition" road, and finally returned to their habitat, triggering "surroundings" around the world.

Wang Xiangang said that the move of the Asian elephants to the north and south is both accidental and inevitable.

The picture shows the Asian elephant sculpture in the COP15 venue.

Photo by Han Shuainan

  "Coincidentally, the COP15 conference was held in Kunming, and the number of elephants moving north was just 15 and they were coming to Kunming." Wang Xiangang said, and it must be that the number of Asian elephants in China has grown from 100 in the 1980s. The number of heads has increased to more than 300 at present; at the same time, the increase in forest coverage from Xishuangbanna to Kunming in the past 20 years has been able to support and guarantee the long-distance travel of more than 10 Asian elephants.

"The process of this Asian elephant migration is the epitome of the Chinese government and people's emphasis on the ecological environment and the protection of wildlife and biodiversity."

  Wang Xiangang said that in the next step, Yunnan Province will strengthen its propaganda work to make people live in harmony with nature and become the consensus and action of more people.

In establishing and improving the long-term mechanism of Asian elephant management and control, the core of the mechanism will be flexible, harmonious, and conform to the laws of the Asian elephant's survival and growth.

The mechanism will include security command and dispatch, monitoring and early warning, information reporting, compensation for accidents, etc.

  At the same time, Yunnan will also strengthen scientific research on Asian elephants, accelerate the creation of Asian elephant national parks, and take into account the protection of tropical rain forests and Asian elephants.

(over)