Herd of Wild Elephants Take an Adorable Nap Together After 300-Mile Journey

Wild Elephants Taking a Nap

There is nothing like a well-deserved nap after a long day, and these elephants definitely deserved it. This herd of 15 wild Asian elephants embarked on a journey that began over a year ago, when they left their wildlife reserve zone near China's border with Myanmar. China’s wandering elephants have covered a 500-kilometer (300-mile) stretch and have been captured on camera sleeping together in a patch of forest on the outskirts of Southwest China’s Kunking.

The herd raided farms, strolled down urban streets, and even foraged for snacks in villages over the course of their journey. All of the animals are reported to be healthy and no person has been injured in encounters with them. It remains unclear why the group of elephants are on the move, although Evan Sun (wildlife campaign manager with World Animal Protection) has stated possible reasons could be the lack of food supply, a rise in the elephant population, and loss of habitat.

“This also poses a great opportunity to educate the public about the challenges that wild animals face for survival and the need for better protection from a government, industry and society level,” Sun wrote. “These animals belong in the wild. We need to keep a safe distance from them, which is good for us and the wild animals.”