Special walls or dikes must be built outside some villages near Xishuangbanna of Yunnan Province to prevent wild elephants from attacking locals or damaging their crops.

Since 1998, up to 23 locals have been killed by the elephants, which are said to reacting to shrinking habitats.

Conflicts between the elephants and local people have been worsening over the past eight years, as the elephant population has increased.

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