Trouble-making wild elephant tamed by blowpipe in southwest China

Wildlife authorities Friday used a blowpipe to sedate and capture a wild Asian elephant after it ran amok in a town in southwest China's Yunnan Province.

The 20-year-old elephant Weizhayo, meaning victor in Dai language, was an underdog in a fight for mate and turned fractious after being expelled from the pack by the winning alpha, said the forestry and grassland administration of Dai Autonomous Prefecture of Xishuangbanna.

The 4-ton animal then intruded into Meng'a Town in Menghai County six times between March 17 and April 4, tramping along crowded roads and damaging 16 motor vehicles and five buildings.

After meetings with experts, the provincial forestry authority approved the request for an "arrest." The prefecture government then formulated a hunting plan and an emergency preplan, and set up an operation command.

On Thursday, the elephant invaded Meng'a again and walked around a school and a sugarhouse, activating the hunting. On Friday morning, an anesthetist stalked on the target near the town government building and shot a 1.2-ml narcotic needle in its rear using a blow pipe.

After about 12 minutes, Weizhayo fell heavily on the ground and was caged. It woke up about 35 minutes later with normal vital signs.

Officials said the elephant has been sent to a wildlife rescue center safe and sound.

During the mating season, competition between male elephants can lead to frequent fighting and imperil residents in the area.

A wild Asian elephant came into the city of Pu'er last April and took a stroll for more than six hours before it was brought under control and kept in the Asian Elephants Breeding and Rescue Center in Xishuangbanna.

Wild Asian elephants are under A-level state protection in China. Thanks to improving environment, its population in the country has grown from 170 in the 1990s to about 300.

Last month, an elephant habitat reconstruction project was launched in Yunnan to build a 51-hectare "dining area" for wild elephants to solve conflicts between the endangered animal and local residents.