NAKHON RATCHASIMA: Five wild elephants, including three calves, were rescued safely from a farm pond in Khon Buri district on Saturday afternoon after getting stuck in the muddy water for hours.
The drama took place at a pond behind Nong Sai village at around 10am on Saturday. Wichit Kitwirat, chief of Khon Buri district, led officials from Thap Lan National Park and soldiers to the site after being alerted by a local resident that five elephants had got stuck there. Three were calves, aged around 1-2 years.
Residents and officials believed the animals might have wandered over from the national park in search of crops at nearby farms and stumbled into the pond late Friday night. As the pond was deep and its edge was clay soil, it was difficult for the elephants to make their way out.
Local residents joined officials in digging a pathway for the elephants to walk out as the animals looked exhausted. Initially, the elephants did not move as they appeared to be spooked by seeing so many people gathered around.
Somsak Kanchanakhot, head of Zone 3 of Thap Lan National Park, ordered people to move away to give the elephants room to move. He also arranged for a backhoe to be brought to the site.
While trapped in the pond, the biggest elephant was seen trying unsuccessfully to help the smaller ones get out. Finally, at around 2pm, the pachyderm noticed the new pathway and led the others out. Once clear of the pond, the five elephants were seen running through cassava farms and back to the forest.
(Photo taken from @khonburidistrict Facebook page)
Five elephants run toward a nearby forest after escaping a pond in Khon Buri district of Nakhon Ratchasima on Saturday. (Photo by Prasit Tangprasert)