可爱又淘气，该怎么和“爱闯祸”的它们和平相处？

前不久，监测人员拍到了亚洲象妈妈带着象宝宝在云南普洱江城县集体觅食午睡的画面。网友们都在夸：“萌化了，太可爱了！”

网友评论截图

国家林草局的数据显示，30年间中国野生亚洲象的数量从180多头增加到300多头，中国野生亚洲象种群迎来了“婴儿潮”。

亚洲象增加了，它们活动的地盘相对来说就不够了。大象走出保护区，进入食物更充裕的农田，居民一味退让，已经严重影响到他们的正常生产生活。

As numbers rise, the elephants have stepped out of protected areas and entered more food-rich farmland as they search for food. The overlap of human and elephant activities has affected the residents' crop production and livelihoods.

大象进入田间觅食

据统计，从1991年到2016年，云南野生亚洲象肇事造成损失超3亿元。

那么该如何减少象群和人类的冲突以及由此带来的损失呢？国家林草局亚洲象研究中心的专家王智红告诉我们，要在保护濒危物种和发展当地经济之间取得平衡。

Wang Zhihong, an expert with the Asian Elephant Research Center in Yunnan, told China Daily that a balance is needed between protection of the endangered species and local economic development.

如何在发展居民经济的同时，又给大象提供充足的栖息环境呢？

Wang said the Yunnan government has raised the compensation standards for farmers who grow corn, sugar cane, rice and other major crops eaten by the elephants.

Elephants and humans need to live a safe distance from each other. When people get too close, Asian elephants will flap their ears and raise their trunks to drive people away. It means that humans can’t get too close to them. Therefore, the expansion of elephants’ habitats is key for both sides.

So far, 11 natural reserves have been set up in areas that elephants inhabit. Setting up food bases for the elephants is also part of the ongoing efforts to improve the quality of their habitats.

In addition, protective fences have been built in important areas such as villages and towns, schools and high-speed railways to prevent the elephants from entering and to protect residents' lives and property.

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