Wildlife officials in Thailand’s eastern province of Trat have been trying to push two herds of wild elephants back into the forest, after they emerged to search for food on farmland and in fruit orchards on Monday night.
According to officials at Khlong Kaew Waterfall National Park in Bo Rai district, a herd of about 40 elephants, including several calves, are now foraging for food in cultivated areas along the road from Ban Nong Mai Hom to Ban Nong Bon.
Thunder-flashes have been used in an attempt to scare the animals away, but without much success. More wildlife officials, from neighbouring Pong Nam Ron district of Chanthaburi province, are on their way to help push the elephants back into their habitat.
Meanwhile, a smaller herd of about 9 elephants has been spotted in fruit orchards in Nong Bon sub-district of Bo Rai district. A para-military ranger unit, based in Ban Nong Bon, has been sent to the area to help wildlife officials and villagers protect their orchards and push the animals back into the forest.
An official said, however, that fruits, such as durian, mangosteen and rambutan, have mostly been harvested, but the elephants continue to venture out of their habitats in search of food.
Apart from the two herds, he said that there are also individual elephants which are roaming in search of food.
