The National Parks Department has asked a provincial Administrative Court to delay the enforcement of its order to capture and relocate the three remaining wild elephants, following the recent death of the ‘Hu Phap’ bull elephant while being relocated.
The department’s Director General, Athapol Charoenhunsa, said a request has been submitted to the Khon Kaen Administrative Court, which had ordered the relocation of four elephants from Khon Kaen to the Phu Luang Wild Elephant Food Restoration Project area in Loei province.
The relocation was carried out following complaints from villagers, who informed the court last year that wild elephants had invaded their fields and, in some cases, killed people.
The department forwarded the delay request to the court to allow it to improve procedures and prevent another tragic loss of an elephant.
The three other wild elephants subject to the court order are ‘Nga Jiw’, ‘Kuthang’ and ‘Sri Dor Noi’.
The department also expects the court to amend the order, changing the method of relocation from capture and transport to driving the elephants back into protected forest areas instead.
An investigative panel has been set up to determine the cause of Hu Phap’s death on February 4.
An initial investigation found that the relocation had been prepared in line with international standards. A multi-agency command centre was established, with experienced veterinarians and animal handlers deployed.
Initial assessment indicated that the animal’s death may have been related to choking, although a full necropsy is required to confirm the exact cause.
