YNU's Asian elephant research center advances species protection

In 2016, Yunnan University (YNU) took the lead in the country to establish an Asian elephant research institution – the Asian Elephant Research Center of Yunnan University.

Relying on YNU's strong biology, ecology, and zoology faculties, the center provides scientific and technological support for the protection and management of Asian elephants in the country.

Based on the center's construction and research, in 2019, YNU applied to the Ministry of Education to establish the Yunnan Asian Elephant Field Science Observation and Research Station of the Ministry of Education, which was approved in September of that year.

In 2020, the university declared the establishment of the Asian Elephant Yunnan Field Scientific Observation and Research Station to the Yunnan Provincial Science and Technology Department. The facility has now entered the substantive construction stage.

The Asian Elephant Field Science Observation and Research Station of YNU in Menghai county, Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture, Southwest China's Yunnan province. [Photo/ynu.edu.cn]

The field station of the Asian Elephant Research Center of Yunnan University conducts long-term field observations for the protection of Asian elephants and their habitats, to provide basic data for the planning and construction of the Asian Elephant National Park and the cross-border joint protection of Asian elephants.

It is of great significance to improve the protection and management level of the country's Asian elephants and their habitats, solve the problems of human-elephant conflicts, and help the construction and development of an ecological civilization.

At present, the Asian elephant research team of YNU is taking the opportunity provided by the university's construction of world-class universities and disciplines to improve the observational capacity and research level of the field station. The team strongly supports the construction of related disciplines and the training of high-level talents.

A herd of Asian elephants migrate north. [Photo/ynu.edu.cn]