Yao Zhengyang, who worked at a national nature reserve research institute in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, went missing around on Thursday evening while observing wild elephants in Mengwang Township, according to the prefecture's publicity office.
Police found his body yesterday and said he was apparently killed by the elephants, state-run Xinhua news agency reported today.
Wild Asian elephants have first-level protection in China.
There have been several attacks in Xishuangbanna, home to 250 to 300 wild elephants, in recent years.
In June, a villager was killed and his wife was injured by an elephant at a farm in the prefecture.