Herd of Wild Elephants Takes a Group Nap Following a 313-Mile Trip

Screenshot via South China Morning Post/YouTube

We all like to take a good nap after a long trip. And animals are no different, according to a recent viral video from China.

The South China Morning Post recently shared a clip that shows a herd of elephants taking a group nap in a forest near Kunming City. 15 elephants, including three calves, can be seen adorably snuggling together and snoozing to shake off the fatigue after reportedly traveling 313 miles.

According to reports from local media, the herd of elephants left their natural habitat in southern Yunnan province a year ago and have been traveling to the north ever since. The group was tracked on their journey by government drones, which recorded the amazing footage of the nap.

The local officials are doing their best to keep the herd safe on their trip, but also to minimize the damage they can do to villages and towns. They are attempting to steer them by leaving all sorts of snacks (bananas and pineapples) while also clearing the path for them by blocking roads for traffic.

It is still unclear why the elephants decided to embark on such a trip, considering the species rarely goes on long travels. Scientists assume that it has something to do with deforestation in their natural habitat and lack of food sources.

“The size of the rain forests has dwindled, and that caused the wild Asian elephants to leave their home in Xishuangbanna. The expansion of elephant families also increases the odds for them to venture out for a new home,” Zhang Li, an ecology professor who specializes in studies about elephants, explained in a recent chat with Beijing News.