Wild elephant numbers increase 8% annually - measures underway to get them back in protected areas

[webfact]

Picture: 77kaoded

 

77kaoded reported on continuing measures to deal with an large increase in the numbers of wild elephants fleeing wildlife areas looking for water and food and attacking members of the public as a result. 

 

This follows a story yesterday in which a park employee who is also a cashew nut farmer was found by his wife literally torn apart by three rogue elephants. 

 

The media had suggested there had been many attacks on people recently in the area of the Khao Ang Rue Nai sanctuary in Chachoengsao. 

 

Phadet Laithong of the national parks department was in the area yesterday presenting a seminar about what is being done to help get wild elephants back in the sanctuaries and away from public areas in five eastern provinces.

 

These are Chachoengsao, Chonburi, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Sa Kaew that are all connected. 

 

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Picture: 77kaoded

 

Phadet said that a survey of the Khao Ang Rue Nai sanctuary area in 2018 found there were 270 wild elephants.

 

In the five provinces there were 423 in total in 2018 but this has now ballooned to between 470-480 elephants - an annual increase of 8%.

 

Measures are underway to ensure that there is more water and feeding areas for the elephants within the sanctuary so that they do not need to leave to look for sustenance. 

 

Regarding the employee who was killed he said that compensation and benefits would be paid to the family even though the man was off duty at the time. 

 

He was tending his orchard in the area in the afternoon when he was killed. 

 

No figures were given for the number of attacks on people. 

 

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[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Measures are underway to ensure that there is more water and feeding areas for the elephants within the sanctuary so that they do not need to leave to look for sustenance.

The hungry must be fed, maybe the park needs to look inside the park for answers as to why the elephants want to stray outside.

[bangon04]

Identify the ones with large tusks and the Chinese will be happy to help cull them....

[jak2002003]

Make the wildlife parks larger and move the farmers out so the animals can eat the lush plant growth on the more fertile land.

 

 

 

 

[vandeventer]

15 hours ago, hotchilli said:

The hungry must be fed, maybe the park needs to look inside the park for answers as to why the elephants want to stray outside.

Agree, Just give the elephants what they need and want. Elephants are very smart and they don't need much help from us, after all we are the main cause of most of their problems.