Elephant Shot 20 Times Dies in Kaeng Krachan
It’s confirmed, elephant shot 20 times in Kaeng Krachan, Thailand died. The authorities confirmed this on January 22nd. The 60 year old male elephant is being called “Grandfather of Pala-U”. The elephant was found two weeks before, with bullet wounds on his head and body. A team of veterinarians worked vigorously to help the elephant. Due to the severity of the woulds, the elephant succumbed to sepsis and died.
Many elephants are shot at by local farmers even though they are protected by law in Thailand. Elephants are known to treat themselves to their sugarcane crops, which causes retaliation. While some people might throw firecrackers, others can be more harsh. In the case of Grandfather of Pala-U, he got the latter. It’s extremely frustrating to think that farmers shoot these beautiful animals for eating crops or stepping on their land.
Around 2,000 elephants live free in protected land. Another 2,000 elephants are domesticated and live in poor conditions. Most elephants are used for tourists and wedding purposes. If you ever stumble upon a “sanctuary” for elephants that offers rides, know that it is not a sanctuary. You should never ride an elephant, no matter how cool it will look on your Instagram page.
What’s Next
The authorities are looking for the person responsible for the elephant shot 20 times. According to their law, the maximum penalty for shooting an elephant is 3 years in prison and a fine of 1,000 baht. This does not seem to be enough since these senseless shootings keep occurring. Locals are told to call authorities when there is an elephant present on their farmland. Instead, many choose to take matters into their own hands and end a beautiful life. In Thainland culture, elephants symbolize fortune, yet this notion is out the door when farmers see them. Their first action is to shoot and second is to ask for forgiveness in a traditional ceremony.
Elephant shot 20 times should not be a headline we see, yet it’s something that occurs around the world daily. These incredible creatures have been around for millions of years, yet we act like this land is ours and doesn’t belong to them. Our selfish ways have diminished their presence and has placed them on the endangered list.
Do you think there is more the Thai community can do to stop these shootings?
