Five Asian elephant guardians honored in Xishuangbanna

(Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan, November 12, 2025) – Five distinguished rangers have been honored as outstanding "Asian Elephant Safety Guardians," recognizing their exceptional contributions to fostering human-elephant coexistence. 

The five individuals are on the frontline of elephant conservation and community safety, regularly patrolling areas, issuing early warnings to communities, responding to rescue missions, and conducting community awareness sessions.  

This work is part of the Community Ranger Network initiative, which was launched in 2021 by IFAW and the Jinghong Forestry and Grassland Administration to enhance the safety of both humans and elephants. In 2024, it was expanded to the Mengla County through a partnership with the Mengla Forestry and Grassland Administration. 

The awardees—Peng Jinfu, Yang Baorong, Ai Guan, Zhou Qiangming, and Ai Jiao, were recognized at a ceremony jointly organized by IFAW and the Xishuangbanna Asian Elephant Protection Association (XEPA). 

"All five awardees are from core Asian elephant habitats in Xishuangbanna," said Qingzhong Shen, President of the XEPA. "Working on the front lines, their solid fieldwork and community education not only provide vital data for elephant conservation but also help build a crucial safety buffer for human-elephant coexistence in the region." One of the awardees, Peng Jinfu, has patrolled over 40,000 kilometers since 2020, covering all major elephant corridors and frequented areas. He has issued more than 10,000 effective early warnings, participated in 21 rescue missions for people trapped by elephants, assisted in 25 elephant rescues, helped resolve about 130 incidents of elephants entering residential areas, and conducted over 150 community awareness and safety sessions. 

"The key to safety lies in 'early detection, early warning, and early notification'," Peng Jinfu explained, sharing his experience. "We utilize modern technology like infrared cameras and drone patrols, combined with social media platforms like WeChat and dedicated apps, to quickly publish and relay warnings. We also strive to understand the movement patterns and behavior of the local herds. By identifying signs like footprints, dung, and broken branches, we can provide additional alerts even when technology misses them, strengthening our safety net." 

An estimated 300 wild Asian elephants roam Xishuangbanna, Pu'er, and Lincang in China's Yunnan Province. Xishuangbanna is home to the largest elephant population within China, hosting over 85% of these elephants. However, habitat loss and fragmentation, driven by population growth, urbanization, and infrastructure development, pose significant challenges.  

Strengthened conservation efforts have led to a steady growth in the elephant population and an expansion of their range. This has made the goal of mitigating human-elephant conflict and promoting harmony even more critical. 

"China has achieved remarkable successes in Asian elephant conservation," said Grace Ge Gabriel, IFAW Senior Advisor for Asia, speaking at the ceremony. "The collective efforts of government at all levels, local communities, and frontline workers have laid a solid foundation for the sustainable protection of these elephants and their habitat. We extend our sincere gratitude to all the rangers — you are the guardians of peaceful coexistence between people and elephants, and the practitioners of ecological civilization. IFAW remains committed to working with all partners to advance Asian elephant conservation." 

The initiative trains rangers, provides professional field equipment, and establishes information dissemination and community education. Since the network's inception in 2021, over 50 rangers from Jinghong and Mengla have conducted 868 community outreach sessions across 220 villages, farms, tea plantations, and communities in six Jinghong townships, reaching 21,944 residents. In Mengla, 11 rangers organized 89 safety awareness activities in core elephant habitats, benefiting 6,619 people.  

Press Contacts: 

Sabrina Zhang( China)
Senior Communications Manager 
t: + 86 10 6440 2960 
m: +86 13911116927 
e: qzhang@ifaw.org