Bull elephant causing strife at Khao Yai
Tanatip Chaiyos
Manit Sanubboon
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- IN JUST 10 days, a wild bull elephant has damaged four vehicles and caused alarm among tourists at Khao Yai National Park.

Fortunately, no one has been harmed in the two shocking encounters with the big pachyderm.

On Saturday, just as a family arrived at the park to celebrate National Children's Day, the elephant put two feet on their car's hood. The hood was badly dented and the windshield fractured.

"The incident happened around 4.30pm," Khao Yai National Park chief Kanchit Srinoppawan said yesterday.

On January 1, the elephant damaged three vehicles. It stomped on a pickup causing a big dent, while another pickup and a taxi sustained minor damage.

Patarapol Maneeorn, a government veterinarian who has monitored elephants and other wild animals at the park, said elephants normally did not attack vehicles but this one might be stressed.

"It's in heat," Patarapol said.

He said when bull elephants reach reproductive age, they are forced out of their herd to prevent mating with blood relatives.

This particular male was thus roaming the forest alone.

"In the mating season, the elephant might have developed some stress. Moving vehicles might have added to the tension," he said.

Patarapol said elephants at the park searched for food from 4pm to dawn.

"When driving in the park, make sure your car is at least four metres away from the vehicle in front. This way, every vehicle can reverse when they face something unprecedented and need to escape.

"But if you are in other parks, follow guidelines provided by officials there. Wild elephants in different zones react differently."

Last month, an elephant fatally attacked Poonsap Noknuam, 65, while she was heading home with her husband on a motorcycle on Hua Hin-Pa La Ou Rd in Prachuap Khiri Khan.

A passer-by chased the elephant away by honking a horn, but Poonsap died on her way to a hospital.

Locals believe wild elephants can become aggressive because teenagers on bikes challenge or tease them with loud honks.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Bull-elephant-causing-strife-at-Khao-Yai-30251686.html


-- The Nation 2015-01-12

It may be easy to speculate that this is the elephant who trampled that young lady to death not so long ago.

Too many tourists, not enough land for these majestic beings.

Maybe more tourists = more money = expanding the habitat?

Just a warning to anyone driving through a national forest, be aware that if your vehicle resembles a female elephant, you could be in for more than you bargained for.

The elephant will be blamed for losing its temper and punished soon, because the elephant has no face to lose....

"It's in heat," Patarapol said.

Er, doc, bulls are in musth. The ladies are in heat.

Anyway, this is normal behavior, and humans zipping about where you guys have given a home to elephants, need to learn the elephants are, believe it or not, wild animals.

If you encounter a wild elephant in Khao Yai or any other national park, you must keep your distance. I have seen elephants in Khao Yai many times and the car drivers often get very close in order to take photos. And then other car drivers come and create a crazy queue. I am surprised this thing does not happen more often. And then to top it off, you have the drivers that drive very close to try and overtake it which you definitely should not do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKIU0UV6z_g

Possibly we might just see a new set of Ivory tusks in one of the 700 legal ivory out lets in Thailand soon

It may be easy to speculate that this is the elephant who trampled that young lady to death not so long ago.

Too many tourists, not enough land for these majestic beings.

Maybe more tourists = more money = expanding the habitat?

Khao Yai NP is hundreds of km's from Prachuap Kiri Khan.

Just a warning to anyone driving through a national forest, be aware that if your vehicle resembles a female elephant, you could be in for more than you bargained for.

..or at least the rear end of the car could be.....although I do notice that the bull is trying to mount the front of the car, which begs the question of what he considers his best option for a quickie.

"It's in heat," Patarapol said.

Er, doc, bulls are in musth. The ladies are in heat.

Anyway, this is normal behavior, and humans zipping about where you guys have given a home to elephants, need to learn the elephants are, believe it or not, wild animals.

He's right mate, I behave the same when I'm on 'heat" although I don't trample on cars, only on

the ladies....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKIU0UV6z_g

.

In the doggie world, it's called mounting. An exhibition of dominance and superiority.

Being the elephant did not suffer a crushed hood, I'd say he was successful.

The videographer, on the other hand, really needs some lessons on holding the camera still.

"It's in heat," Patarapol said.

Er, doc, bulls are in musth. The ladies are in heat.

Anyway, this is normal behavior, and humans zipping about where you guys have given a home to elephants, need to learn the elephants are, believe it or not, wild animals.

He's right mate, I behave the same when I'm on 'heat" although I don't trample on cars, only on

the ladies....

i assume you prefer ladies who resemble female elephants.

"It's in heat," Patarapol said.

Er, doc, bulls are in musth. The ladies are in heat.

Anyway, this is normal behavior, and humans zipping about where you guys have given a home to elephants, need to learn the elephants are, believe it or not, wild animals.

He's right mate, I behave the same when I'm on 'heat" although I don't trample on cars, only on

the ladies....

.

Apparently you don't understand the term "in heat."

Unless, of course, you periodically experience estrous cycles and are a lesbian.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKIU0UV6z_g

.

In the doggie world, it's called mounting. An exhibition of dominance and superiority.

Being the elephant did not suffer a crushed hood, I'd say he was successful.

The videographer, on the other hand, really needs some lessons on holding the camera still.

i think the video man was excited by the free chang porno show. Well as far as chang porno shows go, I suppose.

Nonsense troll post has been removed.

It may be easy to speculate that this is the elephant who trampled that young lady to death not so long ago.

Too many tourists, not enough land for these majestic beings.

Maybe more tourists = more money = expanding the habitat?

Way too logical a solution. It won't happen, unfortunately.

'"When driving in the park, make sure your car is at least four metres away from the vehicle in front. This way', every vehicle can reverse when they face something unprecedented and need to escape."

Like thats ever going to happen.....

I was reversing from an elephant once in this park....a knob thai driver pulled up behind me and that was that.....he could not reverse cos nobody about with a whistle anyway..

...If it's only gray vehicles....maybe it's a combination of:

-Poor eyesight

-Hormones

Hardly an angry elephant.

power to the people.

right on.

...If it's only gray vehicles....maybe it's a combination of:

-Poor eyesight

-Hormones

Here's an idea. Keep your bloody vehicles OUT of the park. Christ, is there nowhere here animals, who by the way share this country/planet, are allowed a bit of peace without some fool driving up to take photographs of them. Som nom na

Oh, and BTW, agree with the poster who said keep 4 meters away from the vehicle in front. Yeah. Idiot Thai drivers and their 'me first' mentality are going to do that

It may be easy to speculate that this is the elephant who trampled that young lady to death not so long ago.

Too many tourists, not enough land for these majestic beings.

Maybe more tourists = more money = expanding the habitat?

Totally different area with hundreds of kilometres away so I guess your speculation remains just that

I posted some of these in another thread but here they are again.

At the end of the day, it is a wild animal and that is its home! Being male, it couldn't be 'on heat' of course !

Maybe time to realize that those beautiful and intelligent animals should not be kept in captivity for our entertainment!!

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Maybe time to realize that those beautiful and intelligent animals should not be kept in captivity for our entertainment!!

Nice comment! So in your vast experience with captive elephants versus wild elephants where would captive elephants

belong since they have been domesticated?...a wild elephant belongs in the wild I would assume you would agree...

hence captive elephants belong...?

Just a warning to anyone driving through a national forest, be aware that if your vehicle resembles a female elephant, you could be in for more than you bargained for.

That also applies to your wife.

Den

"It's in heat," Patarapol said.

Er, doc, bulls are in musth. The ladies are in heat.

Anyway, this is normal behavior, and humans zipping about where you guys have given a home to elephants, need to learn the elephants are, believe it or not, wild animals.

"Er, doc, bulls are in musth. The ladies are in heat."

Err, it's bound to be a translation from what a Thai vet said, the chances are he knows that. He probably also knows that female elephants are known as cows, not ladies.