3
0Elephants return from epic journey
漫长迁徙后，象群回家了
The herd of 14 wild Asian elephants roaming around in southwestern China's Yunnan province successfully went through the last natural barrier on its way home and returned to its traditional habitat in Pu'er city on Friday.
由14只野生亚洲象组成的象群数月来在中国西南部云南省游荡，终于成功跨过最后一道回家旅途中的自然屏障，于周五返回位于普洱市的传统栖息地。
At 1 am, the elephants, which had left their habitat in Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve, crossed the Babian River and entered Ning'er county in Pu'er city, one of the three major habitats of Asian elephants in Yunnan.
此前，象群离开其位于西双版纳自然保护的栖息地进行迁徙。凌晨一点，象群顺利通过把边江，进入普洱市宁洱县，该地是云南三个主要亚洲象栖息地之一。
The northbound trip, lasting about 18 months, finally ended without any harm to either the elephants or local residents, the provincial headquarters in charge of protecting the herd announced on Friday.
周五，云南北移亚洲象安全防范工作省级指挥部对外发布消息称，历经18个月的北移亚洲象群迁移结束，并未给象群和当地居民造成任何伤害。
The headquarters has withdrawn the provincial surveillance group and passed the monitoring work to city and county-level forestry departments.
指挥部随之撤回省级监控小组，监控工作交由市级和县级林业部门管理。
The herd departed from its traditional habitat in Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture last year and started traveling north in April.
象群于去年离开其位于西双版纳傣族自治州的传统栖息地，并于4月份开始向北迁徙。
It passed through eight counties in the province during the journey.
象群途径云南省八个县。
In June, it eventually reached the outskirts of Kunming, the provincial capital, which has about 8 million residents.
并于六月份最终抵达昆明市郊，作为省会城市，昆明市有大约800万居民。
The herd started its journey with 16 members, but three of them dropped out, while two calves were born en route.
迁徙之初，象群共有16名成员，但是有三只大象掉队，两只小象在途中出生。
In June, a bull elephant broke away from the group and wandered off on his own.
六月份，一只公象离群走散。
In July, the bull elephant was sedated with a tranquilizer dart, lifted into a cage on the back of a truck and returned to Xishuangbanna.
七月份，该头公象被麻醉镖控制，装进卡车后备箱笼子里，送回西双版纳。
To safeguard their journey, local authorities deployed trucks, workers and drones to monitor the elephants 24 hours a day, evacuated roads for them to pass safely and lured them away from populated areas with food.
为保障旅途安全，当地政府部署了卡车、人员以及无人机来全天监控大象，将人员从道路上疏散，使其安全通过，并使用食物引诱象群离开人口密集地区。
The herd's safe return from its journey is "very meaningful", said a notice released by the headquarters on Friday.
指挥总部周五发布的消息表示，象群返途安全是“很有意义的”。
" It provides us with a chance to know more about the elephants and also shows China's resolve in building an environmentally friendly country."
“这给我提供了更好地了解大象的机会，而且也展示了中国建设生态友好型国家的决心。”
The Asian elephant is listed as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
亚洲象被国际自然保护联盟列为濒危物种。
The animal, which can be found in the areas of Yunnan bordering Myanmar and Laos, is also under first-class State protection in China.
亚洲象分布在云南省与缅甸、老挝交界处，处于中国一级国家保护之中。
Shen Qingzhong, a senior engineer from the Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve, said it's inevitable that the elephants will make another journey in the future as migration is a normal activity for elephants.
西双版纳国家级自然保护区高级工程师沈庆仲表示，未来大象不可避免地还会进行再次迁徙，因为迁徙释大象的正常活动。
" Historically, Asian elephants used to live in many parts of the country. Migration is in their nature.
“历史上，大象曾住在中国的许多地区，迁徙是它们的天性。
It helps the species expand its territory and have more chances to improve its gene pool by mating with different groups," he said.
这帮助该物种扩展其领土，而且通过与不同族群交配，更有可能改善其基因库，”他表示。
