YANGON, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) -- Two wild elephants destroying plantations in the outskirts of Myanmar's Yangon region have been caught by local authorities, according to the Forest Department Sunday.
The two elephants, which were found near Zaloat Gyi village in Hlegu township devastating plantations on Saturday morning, were caught by a group of rangers and police by using tranquilizer gun.
These elephants were given antidote and sent to Zar Mari elephant conservation camp in nearby Bago region, the department said.
In October last year, three wild elephants breaking into paddy, corn and banana fields in Yekyi township, Myanmar's southwestern Ayeyawaddy region, were driven by a combined team of Myanmar Timber Enterprise's Emergency Response Units and local authorities into forest reserve after three hours' tracing.
Myanmar government has planned to conduct a 10-year action plan on elephant conservation (2018-2027), which is aimed at preventing a decrease in the number of wild elephants and a reduction of their pasture land.
The action plan covers protection of wild elephants and their pasture land, prevention of illegal trading of elephants and their body parts, solving human-elephant conflict, as well as managing tame elephants.
According to reports, the number of wild elephants in Myanmar has dropped due to fewer wild elephant corridors, a reduction of their pasture land and human-elephant conflict.
Besides, illegal hunting and wildlife trading are two of the reasons for the decline in the elephant number.
According to statistics, at present, there are about 1,500 wild elephants and around 3,000-5,000 domesticated ones in existence in the country.
