March 24, 2022
BANGKOK – Pithak Intharasorn, director of the Wild Animals Conservation Division of the Sriracha-based 2nd Conservation Area Management Office, said the operation to move the bull elephant nicknamed “Ten-wheel truck” took 11 hours. It involved cooperation from Prachin Buri’s wildlife officials, local volunteers and local administration officials.
The operation was planned after officials received complaints from local villagers that the elephant was roaming around and damaging their farmland.
The officials met and planned the operation at 10.30am on Monday. They had earlier prepared a trap on a truck to transport the elephant.
They rehearsed the operation at 1pm and went to the spot in Tambon Khao Mai Kaew in Prachin Buri’s Krabin Buri district at 2pm.
Pithak said an official fired a tranquiliser dart at the elephant at around 6pm and the team put a GPS collar around its neck and embedded a microchip for identifying it later.
The officials also took a blood sample of the elephant to check for viral disease. They gave a 100cc Vitamin E shot and selenium to prevent the elephant from slipping into coma under the influence of the tranquiliser.
The officials managed to pull the elephant aboard the truck at 11.44pm and drove to Ang Rue Nai Wildlife Sanctuary in Tambon Klong Taphrao in Chachoengsao’s Tha Takiab district.
On reaching the destination, they released the elephant at 4.01am on Tuesday. A veterinarian gave a shot of medicine to overcome the effects of the tranquiliser at around 4.33am. The elephant was able to walk down the truck and entered the forest at 4.46am, Pithak added.