Baby elephants killed by electric fence in Chantaburi

2 baby elephants have apparently been electrocuted in the Tha Mai district of the eastern province of Chanthaburi, near the Cambodian border, when they touched an electric fence put up by an orchard owner to keep foraging animals out.

A local police officer said he would summon the orchard owner for questioning about the electrified fencing. Authorities are awaiting the autopsy results on the 2 elephants, both believed to be about 2 years old.

Forest officials say that the elephants might have become separated from the herd and ventured toward the orchard. One of them stepped on the electric fence and the other, found dead about 30 metres away, had its trunk touching the same fence.

SOURCE: Thai PBS World