Wild elephant found dead from electrocution in Ranong sanctuary

A wild elephant was found dead from electrocution at the radar hill in the Thungraya-Nasak Wildlife Sanctuary in Ranong province. The elephant, believed to have pulled down a tree that fell on high-voltage power lines, was discovered by local government officials who are now working to protect the remaining five elephants in the area.

Chawakun Sithisak, deputy inspector of Muang Chumphon Police Station, and Thana Thongsamui, head of the wild elephant surveillance team at Namtok Ngao National Park, along with officials from the Thung Raya-Nasak Wildlife Sanctuary and veterinarian Piya Serirak from the Office of Conservation Area Management 4, inspected the site at 11.30am yesterday, August 5.

The investigation revealed that the elephant, about 30 to 35 years old, had burn marks on its trunk and mouth, indicating that it had been electrocuted.

Pornsak Piman, mayor of Wang Mai subdistrict, and Chaichumphon Phonphai, village head of Moo 7, joined the inspection. The female elephant’s body was found lying on the ground near the road at the radar hill, with its head resting on a pile of dirt at the base of a tree.

The tree, identified as a Talipot palm, was broken and lying across the road, with its top still entangled in high-voltage power lines. The elephant had been dead for approximately two days when discovered. The veterinarian confirmed that the cause of death was electrocution.

Local government officials then invited Phra Preecha Suchivo, abbot of Wat Tha Mapring, to perform a religious ceremony before using a backhoe to dig a grave 30 metres away from the site to bury the elephant. Thana disclosed that the herd of six elephants had migrated from Namtok Ngao National Park and had been foraging in Ban Na subdistrict for eight months. Recently, they had moved to Wang Mai subdistrict and stayed around the radar hill for about four months.

Power outage

The wild elephant surveillance team had been monitoring the elephants continuously. It was during the night two days ago that a power outage occurred, prompting electricity officials to investigate. They found the elephant dead with the tree entangled in the high-voltage power lines at the forest edge.

Moving forward, relevant agencies will coordinate with the electricity officials to find ways to prevent such incidents, as five elephants from the herd are still foraging around the radar hill.

“The herd had been in the area for several months, and we have been keeping a close watch on them. We need to ensure the safety of the remaining elephants and prevent any future incidents.”

Local officials and conservationists are now focused on implementing protective measures and raising awareness among the community to prevent similar tragedies.

The safety of the remaining elephants is a priority, and all necessary steps will be taken to ensure their protection while preserving the delicate balance of the ecosystem, reported KhaoSod.