Wild elephant mired in muddy canal pulled to safety

PHITSANULOK: A wild bull elephant swept into a deep canal and trapped there by a flash flood in Noen Maprang district early on Tuesday was finally pulled to safety on Wednesday.

The exhausted animal was hauled to the shore around 9am. About 100 local residents joined veterinarians and local officials on the rope.

The elephant, aged 10-15 years, was immediately given injections to boost its energy. The animal could move weakly, but was too worn out to resist after its long battle to survive. 

Vet Dusita Bincharoendee of the 11th forest management and conservation zone in Phitsanulok, said she had asked veterinarians from the Thai Elephant Conversation Centre in Lampang to take the elephant   under their care. The animal was now safe.

The elephant was thought to be from Thung Salaeng Luang National Park. It was believed to have been swept into the 3-metre deep canal about 5am by runoff pouring down a mountain creek after torrential rain pounded tambon Chompu in the early hours of Tuesday.  

The jumbo was discovered almost fully submerged in the canal after sunrise on Tuesday.  It was able to breathe only by raising its trunk above the water. National park officials' initial efforts to rescue the animal were unsuccessful. (continues below)

A backhoe was brought in about 7pm to level out a path the jumbo could use to leave the canal. Local villagers turned to the spirits for help, lighting joss sticks and seeking supernatural intervention to help the stranded young bull.

Despite their efforts, the elephant remained trapped in the canal, obviously tired after being stuck in the mud for so many hours.  

Charnwit Saengsroi, chief of Tham Patapon animal protection zone in Phitsanulok, said the elephant was probably from Thung Salaeng Luang National Park and had been injured when swept down a creek into Chompu canal.

The steep banks of the canal made it impossible for the elephant to climb out unaided, he said.

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