Vets have given a wild elephant that plunged into a canal in Phitsanulok a 50% chance of survival.
The pachyderm was rescued on Wednesday. She was found to have severe injuries to both her back legs, a veterinarian says.
Chances she will return to normal again are slim given the jumbo's age, said Thawichok Angkhawanit, veterinarian at National Elephant Institute in Lampang where the elephant was sent yesterday.
Fifteen-year-old Phang Chomphu, the nickname he was given by rescue workers when they thought it was a male elephant, was washed down by flash floods into the Chomphu canal in Phitsanulok's Noen Maprang district. She tried without success to struggle to the canal bank and was left in the water for about 40 hours.
Rescuers managed to lift her to safety on Wednesday.
Officials said Phang Chomphu looked better after being given a saline solution and she began to eat some bananas and cane.
"She can eat now. If you have bananas or sugarcane, please bring them to officials," Bunchana Khlongphuk, head of Chomphu Tambon Administration Organisation, said.
Villagers paid much attention to the elephant and renamed her Tara.