Experts call for wild life conservation amid elephant's rampages

Dozens of tourists and locals were seen near the site, watching the apparently 'jilted' elephant showing its frustrations.

The local government has bought Public Liability Insurance for any damages caused by wild animals in the nature reserve.

Insurance companies are investigating the conditions of the cars and will offer compensation soon.

Shen Qingzhong a senior engineer with Xishuangbanna Nature Reserve, says wild elephants are frequently seen in the area.

"He's familiar with the environment of the 'wild life valley' and the tourists there. He knew that people wouldn't hurt him. Judging from his age, he's around 15-year-old and is reaching sexual maturity. He's like a young lad in his adolescence. He played with people and their cars on his way of finding a spouse. He didn't attack the cars on purpose but played with the cars. '" Wild Asian elephants are a level-one nationally protected species in China, with less than 300 in the country.

Chen Mingyong, a professor with the Yunnan University, says the number of wild Asian elephants has doubled compared to that of 1980s. Yet the species is still endangered due to habitat loss and a shortage of food.

"Asian elephants have a wide range of food sources. But they are big eaters and the overall storage of food is not enough. Also, with development in tropical areas, many forests have been turned into rubber plantations and tea bushes. "

To ease the conflict between elephants and human beings, the expert stresses that the most important thing is to enhance efforts to protect forest ecosystems and strike a balance between protection and development.