Insurance program helps cover damage by roaming elephants

The herd's damage to the village of Dazhai in the city of Pu'er, Yunnan province, went far beyond that amount, said Ding Chunlin, head of the village committee.

"During the 19 days they stayed in our village, they also caused crop failures on about 30 hectares of farmland," Ding said.

As the herd wreaked havoc in the village, which spans almost 75 square kilometers, there was no need for villagers to worry about the losses caused by the animals.