A backhoe tractor became an elephant’s enemy. It was another incident showing the conflict between wildlife and humans.
A wild elephant named “Pang Chatri” (Pang means female elephant), who was about 10 years old, attempted to attack the eucalyptus cutting workers at the Lat Krathing Plantation, Village No. 5, Lat Krathing Subdistrict, Sanam Chai Khet District, Chachoengsao Province on Saturday, September 16.
The workers first noticed the elephant coming closer, so they kept shouting until all of them ran away; only the backhoe tractor driver remained. At that moment, the elephant charged the car and attempted to push it in order to attack the driver, who was stranded inside.
Even the workers set off firecrackers and noisy ping-pong bombs in the hopes of scaring away the elephant. Pang Chatri, on the other hand, circled the backhoe tractor for more than three hours. The elephant later walked into the jungle near the vehicle, but the driver could not risk coming down.
Khao Ang Rue Nai Wildlife Sanctuary officials deployed forces about 6:00 p.m. to assist in stopping the elephant from running out and assaulting them. They used infrared heat-sensing drones to search for her. Finally, officials were able to assist the backhoe tractor driver in escaping.
Later, officials continued to use infrared thermal drones to search for hiding spots of Pang Chatri, to monitor and prevent her not to enter the communities late at night. They also warned villagers living in the surrounding vicinity.
Officials suspect that the elephant was stressed during the incident. They thought she should gradually calm down.
Chachoengsao is one of the provinces where there is conflict between elephants and people as towns expand and encroach on elephants’ natural habitat.
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