With the reduction of wasteland following increases in agricultural efficiency, some elephant herds moved closer to human areas and started to feed on crops such as maize, rice and sugar cane. Over time, the amount and range of crops they ate increased.

The elephant presence became an issue. The mammoth creatures invaded paddy fields, orchards and households, destroying property, causing financial losses and even injuring people.

New efforts

The conflict intensified as humans and elephants competed for food and living space.

Cao Dafan, who works for the International Fund for Animal Welfare on its Asian Elephant Protection project, recalls that when Asian elephant conservationists visited the Yunnan village to explain animal protection laws and regulations to locals, they were often surrounded by people arguing that the regulations failed to address the economic loss caused by elephants eating their crops.