The herd of 14 wild Asian elephants roaming in southwest China's Yunnan province is approaching their traditional habitat.

At about 8 pm Sunday, the herd crossed the Yuanjiang River with artificial guidance, according to the headquarters in charge of monitoring their migration.

云南北移亚洲象安全防范工作省级指挥部有关负责人表示，8月8日20时左右，14头野生亚洲象在人工引导下安全渡过元江干流，不断接近其原栖息地。

More efforts will be made to ensure the security of the herd on their way back, according to the headquarters.

后续，现场指挥部将继续全力保障象群安全，帮助其尽快回家。

It has been around 17 months since the herd bid farewell to their original habitat in a nature reserve in Yunnan's Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture.

17个月前，象群从原栖息地——西双版纳傣族自治州一个自然保护区出走。

Wild Asian elephants, a flagship species in the rainforest, are under A-level state protection in China.

野生亚洲象是我国一级保护动物，主要生活在热带雨林中。

Thanks to stronger environmental and wildlife protection efforts, its population in the country has grown to about 300, mostly scattered in the province of Yunnan.

近年来我国不断改善环境，加大野生动物保护力度，境内野生亚洲象数量已增加到约300头，主要分布在云南省。

【北移亚洲象群安全渡过元江查看网站：[db:时间]】