Elephant doctor rescues giants in southwest China

Bao Mingwei treats "patients" more than 30 times his own size.

Bao, 39, is a veterinarian for wild elephants at the Asian Elephant Breeding and Rescue Center in Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve in southwest China's Yunnan Province.

For 18 years, Bao has helped rescue more than 20 wild elephants, 10 of which are still at the center for further rehabilitation training and medical treatment.

"Rescuing wild elephants is very difficult, as the animal is huge and can be aggressive and attack people sometimes," Bao said. "An adult Asian elephant weighs more than 2,000 kg."

Most elephants in need of help are reported by local villagers, and professional rescuers rush to the scene immediately.

"Some elephants were injured in fights or falls from mountains, and some were abandoned by their herd due to congenital diseases such as heart problems," Bao said.

According to Bao, wild elephants are intelligent. They leave sick herd members near villages on purpose, counting on humans to save them.

"Judging from their injuries and the situations on the ground, we deploy different rescue teams of about 60 people, sometimes even with a crane and a helicopter," he added.

"In remote areas, we even have to pave the way to transport the animals," he said.

According to Bao, the worst situation is rescuing at night when the forests are in utter darkness and a flashlight is the only tool when conducting rescue work.

Elephants slightly injured are sent back to the forests soon after recovery, but those in serious conditions have to be treated at the center for a long time before being released.

"For every elephant at the center, we arrange two keepers to accompany them 24 hours a day. They have to lead the elephants to the mountains every day for them to re-adapt to the wild," Bao said.


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