Migrating elephants force 150,000 to evacuate in Chinese town

More than 150,000 people have been evacuated from the path of a herd of migrating elephants in China.

Authorities feared conflict between residents and the 14 elephants which have been on the move for months.

More than 25,000 police officers using vehicles and drones have monitored the herd.

The protected animals left a nature reserve about 17 months ago

Since then they have made international headlines with an extraordinary 500km (300-mile) trek that has seen them wander through fields, towns and cities, eating millions of dollars worth of crops and damaging buildings.

As the herd approached settlements, people were temporarily relocated to prevent conflict as local residents tried to protect their crops and homes.

Efforts to head them off and send them back to the Mengyangzi Nature Reserve initially failed but eventually the herd turned around and began to head home.

According to Associated Press, by Sunday night the herd was about 200km from the reserve.

Experts say it is unclear exactly why the elephants left their usual habitat to embark on the journey.

The Asian elephant is an endangered species. China has only about 300 wild elephants, mainly living – like the wandering herd – in the south of Yunnan province.