Forest rangers and police in southwest China are struggling to control a wild elephant that has launched three attacks on parked cars on a major highway in four days.

Nine cars were damaged on Monday when a wild elephant went on a rampage along a highway in Xishuangbanna in southwest China's Yunnan Province.

SOUNDBITE: TANG ZHOUXING, Policeman, Yunnan Province
"The elephant sat on this car, causing it to wobble. This car suffers much damage."

The elephant, nicknamed Bamboo Shoot Teeth, had already crushed or damaged almost 20 cars in two strolls on the highway last week.

No human casualties have been reported.

Police officers have closed the affected section of the highway, guided traffic and evacuated tourists.

SOUNDBITE: TOURIST
"I was sitting on a tourist bus, and saw the elephant stride along the way. It damaged several cars and then smashed its head on one door of our bus. We were very scared. The mirror on the left of the bus was knocked sideways."

The Asian elephant first wandered off the nature reserve, Wild Elephant Valley, on Friday.

Local protection workers say the male elephant may have been angry over a lost fight for mate.

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