Crime Injured Wild Elephant Dies: Autopsy Reveals Multiple Gunshot Wounds

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture courtesy of Khaosod.

 

A 50-year-old wild male elephant from Kui Buri National Park has died after a three-day battle for survival, despite the tireless efforts of a veterinary team. An autopsy revealed multiple gunshot wounds throughout the animal’s body, leaving park officials and wildlife conservationists devastated.

 

The elephant, weighing over 3.5 tonnes, was first spotted on 5 May near Nam Jon Reservoir in Ao Noi subdistrict, Prachuap Khiri Khan, outside the boundaries of Kui Buri National Park. Local villagers noticed the animal was limping heavily, with an apparent injury to its rear left leg.

 

Upon receiving the report, Mr. Anuchart Artharn, Chief of Kui Buri National Park, deployed a drone team to assess the situation. They identified the elephant as a senior male suffering from serious wounds. A wildlife veterinarian, Sakulpong, from Protected Area Regional Office 3 (Phetchaburi Branch), was urgently summoned to begin treatment.

 

Over the next three days, the medical team administered anaesthesia, disinfected wounds, provided antibiotics, nutritional supplements, and IV fluids. However, the elephant’s condition deteriorated rapidly due to the severity of its injuries and age-related health decline. The animal succumbed to its injuries on the morning of 8 May.

 

A post-mortem examination revealed five distinct gunshot wounds, located on the trunk, base of the tusk, abdomen, and rear leg. Metal detectors identified foreign metallic objects embedded in the body, including five bullet fragments and .22 calibre rounds near the base of the tusk. The most severe injury was a 40cm abscess on the injured leg, where the infection had caused the surrounding tissue to decay.

 

The elephant’s internal organs also showed signs of damage, particularly the kidneys, indicating systemic infection. Veterinarians concluded that the primary cause of death was severe infection from the leg wound, which had spread into the bloodstream. The elephant’s weakened immune system, due to old age, prevented it from recovering.

 

Following the autopsy, park officials buried the elephant’s remains at the site to prevent disease transmission to other wildlife. A police report has been filed with Ao Noi Police Station, and an investigation is underway to identify and prosecute those responsible for the shooting.

 

This incident marks another tragic loss in the ongoing struggle to protect Thailand’s dwindling wild elephant population from human-inflicted harm.

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Khoasod 2025-05-10.

 

 

 

 

[impulse]

1 hour ago, Georgealbert said:

A post-mortem examination revealed five distinct gunshot wounds, located on the trunk, base of the tusk, abdomen, and rear leg. Metal detectors identified foreign metallic objects embedded in the body, including five bullet fragments and .22 calibre rounds near the base of the tusk.

 

Probably an insensitive question, but I wonder if they were .22 or .223?   Either way, shooting an elephant with one or the other is just plain cruel.

 

.223 on the left, .22 on the right.

[KireB]

This elephant roamed around the park by it self, without the herd it belonged to. I saw it 3 weeks ago in Kuiburi NP. This area has a long history of animals being killed by local farmers protectng their pineapple crops. Sad.