Heavy rain kills 2 elephants at a Thailand national park

Tragedy hit Khao Yai National Park this week when park rangers discovered the carcasses of two dead elephants among the rocks near Heo Narok Waterfall. Access now has been closed to the waterfall in Nakhon Ratchasima Province as rangers try to remove the bodies.

Khao Yai National Park chief Chaiya Huaihongthong yesterday revealed that the elephants died as a result of the heavy rain, adding rangers found the first carcass, a baby elephant about three to five years old, floating between rocks at the waterfall.

“Based on our initial findings, we think it (the baby elephant) came with its herd and there was a flash flood after torrential rain three days ago. The elephant may have fallen directly into the waterfall, or into a stream and then its body was swept into the waterfall.”

Chaiya believes the deaths occurred because of heavy rainfall on Tuesday or Wednesday and added that the park has been unable to remove the carcass due to the stream’s heavy current. Chaiya said they hope to remove the body in the next day or two.

A second adult elephant was found later on nearby the smaller animal. It is yet unknown whether they were related.

Chaiya added that the park has closed access to the area around the waterfall this weekend to minimize any danger to visitors.

The park chief said more precautionary measures will be added to the park to help keep the animals safe, which now has concrete poles lined up to stop large animals from being swept away.

“We will add more concrete poles to close some gaps and we’ll have rangers standing by on rainy days.”

SOURCE: Bangkok Post