Villagers hired

Local authorities have planted corn, banana trees and sweet potatoes on more than 130 hectares of farmland. The total area acting as an "elephant canteen" in Pu'er is expected to reach 1,000 hectares by 2025, Zhou said.

According to the city's forestry authority, the local government rents residents' farmland for 3,000 yuan per hectare to plant crops the elephants enjoy.

Zhou said more than 30 villagers were hired to work on this farmland. They plant seasonal crops to ensure that food is always available in the "elephant canteen".

The program has been effective, as no casualties have been caused by the elephants since it was launched, he said.

"After feeding in the 'canteen', the elephants will not enter villages to look for food. This helps reduce human-elephant conflicts," he added.