Deep in the rainforests of southwest China's Yunnan Province, dedicated elephant monitoring team members are tracking wild Asian elephants and working to ensure peaceful coexistence between humans and wildlife.

In Jiangcheng County, more than 50 wild Asian elephants live year-round. Since the onset of winter, wild food sources have become scarce, leading to more frequent visits by elephants into villages in search of food.

In recent days, elephant monitors have teamed up with local forest firefighters to strengthen monitoring and alerts. As more people and vehicles return home for the Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival, monitoring and early warning efforts have become all the more important.

Diao Faxing, now 50 years old, is the team leader of Jiangcheng County's elephant monitoring team. He and his colleagues are tasked with monitoring Asian elephant populations over a nearly 1,000 square-kilometer area. They must track the movements of dozens of elephants in real-time.

One day, upon spotting a herd of elephants, Diao promptly alerted nearby villagers to keep their distance. Responding to the warning, firefighter Guo Yuanfeng launched a drone and quickly located the elephants feeding in a cornfield.

Diao said that the drone footage showed at least 10 elephants, adding that it was unusual for the elephants to appear at that time of day and noted that the group included several calves, with the youngest estimated to be about two months old.

Beyond real-time alerts, Diao also assesses damages caused by elephants on behalf of insurance companies.

He explained that in 2010, Yunnan Province implemented a public liability insurance system for wild animal incidents, fully funded by the government. When an elephant-related incident occurs, the insurance company compensates households for damages to homes, food, and cash crops.

"At current prices, the compensation is fairly satisfactory. Once the elephant eats, it simply leaves. It's almost like we are raising them. If our crops get eaten, the insurance company compensates us. I think that's what harmonious coexistence between people and elephants looks like," said Li Jiangmei, a villager of Kangping Town.

Li added that she doesn't fear the elephants.

"The monitors send updates to our messaging group every day, so we are able to know where the elephants are right away. If they are nearby, we just avoid going there," she said.

"That group of elephants has been coming here for years. Seeing them raise their young is heartwarming. It's touching to see another baby elephant born," said Li Chaodong, a villager.

Monitoring these elephants requires being out in the field on a long-term basis, often facing danger, something Diao's family initially didn't understand.

"Especially in the early days before we had drones, we had to track the elephants on foot, following their footprints every day. It was even more dangerous. My family told me to quit. What if something happened? But I thought, if we don't send alerts, people won't feel safe working in the fields. Thinking about that, I just kept going," said Diao.

In 2022, Yunnan applied to the State Council to establish the Asian Elephant National Park, covering areas in Xishuangbanna, Pu'er, and Lincang across six counties or districts. The proposed area spans over 38,600 hectares.

In line with national planning efforts, the preparation of the park is progressing steadily. China's national park law, which took effect on Jan 1, 2026, will provide a strong legal foundation for the park's establishment.

"We have been advancing the national park's preparation, including baseline research, specialized resource surveys, habitat restoration, ecological repair, public education, and conflict mitigation. The goal is to enhance regional protection and spread conservation awareness to support the park's creation," said Yang Fang, director of the Department of Nature Reserve Management Office, Yunnan Provincial Forestry and Grassland Bureau.

"Building an Asian Elephant National Park gives them a home. At the same time, we could develop tourism, with local people getting involved and helping to attract visitors. My biggest hope is that locals can live in peace and contentment, and that we can also offer the elephants a good habitat. So people and elephants live in harmony," said Diao.