Yunnan to make up for damages by elephants

Yunnan province has kicked off data collection on damages caused by the northbound elephants, so that the property loss of the villagers can be timely compensated, according to Yunnan Administration of Forest and Grassland.

“The public liability insurance on troubles by wild animals covers the entire residents across Yunnan, and individuals don’t have to buy the insurance,” said Xiang Ruwu, an official with the Yunnan administration, adding the residents along the elephant migrating routes will be compensated upon completion of data collection.

During the 41-day wandering in central Yunnan’s Yuxi City, the northbound elephant herd traveled through 9 towns and townships, damaging economic crops and other properties of 400 plus rural households.

In 2010, south Yunnan’s Xishuangbanna prefecture implemented the world’s first public-liability insurance on troubles caused by wild animals.

Source: Xinhua and CCTV; Trans-editing by Wang Shixue