Bull elephant 'may have been spooked to death' by killing of heron at Phang Nga tourist attraction

Darawan Naknakhon

Photo Credit: Mr Supawatkan Khunlak

PHANG NGA: A livestock official speculates that a captive bull elephant found dead this morning at a popular tourist attraction in Phang Nga’s Song Praek sub-district may have slipped and fallen to his death after being spooked by the shooting-down of a heron, whose carcass was also found nearby.

Images and news of the dead elephant and heron were revealed this afternoon (May 7) by a member of Chalong Municipality, who said that the elephant was found dead this morning with a chain still attached to his leg, while a dead heron with gunshot wound on its wing was found nearby.

The bull elephant was thought to have bled to death after falling 15 meters down a thick jungle slope sometime last night, apparently smashing his head on a boulder and bleeding to death.

Mr Thanawat Pansanit, an official at the Phang Nga Livestock Office confirmed that he was aware of the incident.

Full story: http://www.thephuketnews.com/bull-elephant-may-have-been-spooked-to-death-by-killing-of-heron-at-phang-nga-tourist-attraction-57339.php

-- Phuket News 2016-05-08

Is it heron open season already?

Surely they mean spooked by the gun shot.

Send the photo to the TAT so they wouldn't have to use photoshop anymore to promote Phang Nga's tourist attractions.

A hell of a lot of amulets hanging off the front of that elephant (tusk). Just need to be shaped.

Poor elefant, wrong time wrong place, very sad.

Close all these tourist tragedies down already