EDITORIAL- BANGKOK POST: Jumbo deaths preventable

The death of six elephants in Khao Yai National Park has saddened the country.

Park officials spotted the carcasses of the pachyderms early on Saturday morning. All had drowned after falling from a great height into Haew Narok Waterfall, while two more elephants, a mother and her calf, managed to climb back up the bank after being trapped in the water for several hours.

After working around the clock, park officials and volunteers finally rescued and returned the pair to the forest. It is believed that the older elephants might have been trying to help to rescue the younger ones that had slipped onto lower ledges but ended up also plunging into the shallow waters at the foot of the waterfall located in Pak Phli district of Nakhon Nayok. Khao Yai National Park, a world heritage site and a prime tourist attraction, stretches across 11 districts in four provinces, namely Nakhon Ratchasima, Prachin Buri, Nakhon Nayok and Saraburi.

Natural Resources and the Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa on Oct 5 told Thai-language media he was sad that the herd had drowned, but was of the opinion that the fatal falls were “unpreventable”.

His views happen to contrast starkly with those of the forest conservation volunteers who complained about tourist and development activities, such as the construction of roads, that disturb the food trails of the elephants and restrict their habitat.

Such improper development has at times resulted in dangerous confrontations between tourists and the wild animals as they roam for food.

The Oct 5 incident is the park’s greatest loss in nearly 30 years. In 1992 the country experienced a similar tragedy when eight elephants were found dead after falling from the steep waterfall, one of the landmark spots in Khao Yai National Park. The period from August-October is known as the “water season” in the area.

While park officials and volunteers deserve credit for helping the two elephants out of danger in time, it’s necessary that they, together with the Natural Resources and the Environment Ministry in Bangkok, think seriously about how to prevent similar tragedies.

A senior forest conservationist posted on Facebook that the Haew Narok route is too dangerous for the elephants. Almost every year, an elephant or two plunges from the top of the waterfall, or almost 30 in total in past years. These deaths did not make the news because of the small number of animals involved each time compared to Oct 5 when so many died.

ADS by Cloud 9:
.
– SPACE RESERVE FOR YOUR ADVERTISEMENT –

He said the elephants opted for the risky route via Haew Narok because they were trying to avoid other forest trails that, though safer, have been developed as tourist service facilities and parking areas.

While income-generating tourism is important, the authorities should also take the welfare of wild animals into consideration. They must examine and re-examine forest land use to ensure elephants do not have to risk their lives in search of food.

While park officials insist that the Haew Narok trail is the safest one available, the Oct 5 tragedy proves that they need to look for other options that ensure the safety of these wild animals which contribute so much to the ecology of the national park.