An Asian elephant in Simao district. (Photo courtesy of Forestry and Grassland Administration of Simao district)

　　 A "canteen" designed especially for wild Asian elephants has been established in Simao district, Pu'er city, southwest China's Yunnan province.

　　 The "canteen", or wild Asian elephant habitat in Simao district, aims to provide food such as bamboo, corn, plantain and sugar cane for wild Asian elephants, with a total planting area of 3,000 mu (200 hectares), including 1,200 mu in the first phase and 1,800 mu in the second phase.

　　 The total investment for the habitat is 3.7 million yuan (about $527,426), of which 2.4 million yuan will be invested in 2020 and 1.3 million yuan in 2021.

　　 1,200 mu of plants for elephants have already been grown since the start of the project in August 2018.

　　 Thanks to the project, Asian elephants are now much less likely to look for food in surrounding villages or damage the crops of the local people, and harmony between wild animals and human beings can be promoted.