A herd of elephants wandering through Chinese villages and countryside were driven from their wildlife reserve largely by habitat loss caused by economic development, according to scientists.

The 15 wild elephants have become an international sensation lately with their 500-kilometer trek from their home in a wildlife reserve in the southwestern province of Yunnan.

A photo showing the elephants lying asleep on the ground early this month was published by international media outlets, and has been described by the Chinese government as “the best promoter of China’s image.”

But Zhang Li, an ecology professor at Beijing Normal University, said that behind their migration lies the poignant fact that the elephants had lost 40% of their habitat in Yunnan’s Xishuangbanna nature reserve largely due to economic development over the past two decades.

Much of the foliage surrounding the reserve has been chopped down and planted with rubber and tea trees to generate profits, prompting the elephants to migrate, Zhang said.

Adding to the damage was a Chinese medicine herb massively cultivated by merchants, said Peter Li, a China policy specialist with the animal concern group Humane Society International.

The migrating elephants had damaged some fields and houses along their way. Yunnan agricultural and forestry officials on Sunday pledged to compensate residents for the losses, which were estimated at 6.8 million yuan (US$1.06 million), according to the Beijing News.

China lists the Asian elephants of Xishuangbanna as protected animals. Yunnan authorities said 16 of the elephants left their home in the natural reserve and headed north in March last year.

One female elephant gave birth in December while two others left the group to join other elephants in April. The remaining 15 elephants are now about 500 km north of their home.

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