KUNMING, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Seventeen wild Asian elephants were spotted in Mojiang County in the city of Pu'er, southwest China's Yunnan Province, in late December.

It is the first time the species has been found in the county.

Forest ranger Li Fudong said in Xinfu Township that the elephants first appeared near a river on Dec. 17 and were captured by a camera drone in the woods the next day.

Experts confirmed that the herd used to live in Mengyangzi nature reserve of Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve. They entered Pu'er in March and have been in Nanping and Yixiang towns of Simao district and Ning'er county before getting to Mojiang.

"There were 16 elephants when they arrived in Pu'er, but the number increased to 17 after a calf was born," said Wu Junhui, who is responsible for monitoring the activities of Asian elephants in the region.

"This is the first time Asian elephants have appeared in Mojiang, which proves that the habitat of this elephant herd is expanding," said Chen Jun, director of the forestry and grassland bureau in Mojiang.

The bureau has trained over 200 people to regularly monitor the herd and warned local residents to raise safety awareness. Enditem