Sad ending: Rescued wild elephant dies (Updated)

Staff help the young bull elephant after he arrived at the National Elephant Institute in Lampang from Phitsanulok on a 10-wheel truck on Friday. (Photo by Assawin Wongnorkaew)

A wild bull elephant rescued from a deep canal in Phitsanulok after being trapped for more than 24 hours has died while under care in Lampang.

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Wild bull elephant dies in Lampang

Post reporters

LAMPANG: A wild bull elephant rescued from a deep canal in Phitsanulok started therapy to strengthen injured hind leg muscles on Saturday after being trapped for more than 24 hours.

But Saturday night, the elephant died peacefully, media outlets quoted the National Elephant Institute as saying.

It happended hours after veterinarians tried to help the animal.

Weerapong Tangjitcharoen, a veterinarian from Chiang Mai University, said earlier the electricity muscle stimulation therapy would help the animal, named Phlai Chomphu, regain muscle strength in the legs.

Wednesday's story

The wild elephant swept into a deep canal in Phitsanulok by torrential runoff early on Tuesday was finally pulled to the bank, and safety, on Wednesday morning. (Photos by Chinnawat Singha)

Wild elephant mired in muddy canal pulled to safety

PHITSANULOK: A wild bull elephant swept into a deep canal and trapped there by a flash flood in Noen Maprang district early on Tuesday was finally pulled to safety on Wednesday.

The exhausted animal was hauled to the shore around 9am. About 100 local residents joined veterinarians and local officials on the rope.

The elephant, aged 10-15 years, was immediately given injections to boost its energy. The animal could move weakly, but was too worn out to resist after its long battle to survive.

Vet Dusita Bincharoendee of the 11th forest management and conservation zone in Phitsanulok, said she had asked veterinarians from the Thai Elephant Conversation Centre in Lampang to take the elephant   under their care. The animal was now safe.

The exhausted elephant stuck in the muddy canal in Phitsanulok on Tuesday.

The elephant was thought to be from Thung Salaeng Luang National Park. It was believed to have been swept into the 3-metre deep canal about 5am by runoff pouring down a mountain creek after torrential rain pounded tambon Chompu in the early hours of Tuesday.

Local villagers and officials haul on a rope to pull the elephant from the canal on Wednesday morning.

The jumbo was discovered almost fully submerged in the canal after sunrise on Tuesday It was able to breathe only by raising its trunk above the water. National park officials' initial efforts to rescue the animal were unsuccessful.

The steep banks of the canal made it impossible for the elephant to climb out unaided, Charnwit Saengsroi, chief of Tham Patapon animal protection zone in Phitsanulok, said.