From March 2020 to September 2021, a herd of approximately 15 Asian elephants left their home in Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve. Along their journey, the herd broke into homes, damaged buildings and infrastructure, and destroyed crops, totaling estimated damage of over $1 million. The migration coincided with a severe drought in the region, indicating that the elephant's habitat was likely unable to support them. As elephant populations have grown in southern China, habitat size and suitability has been reduced, increasing the likelihood of human-elephant conflict. As pressures such as climate change and population growth further push people and wildlife into shared spaces, management approaches must be tailored to the concept of coexistence. This technical background report for the 2021/2022 edition of the Interconnected Disaster Risks report analyses the root causes, drivers, impacts and potential solutions for the wandering elephants through a forensic analysis of academic literature, media articles and expert interviews.

18 p. : ill.