TRAT, Thailand – Officials and volunteers successfully rescued a 5-year-old wild elephant, which had fallen into a 4-meter-deep agricultural well, January 19. The rescue was conducted under the watchful eyes of villagers gathered around the well, cheering for the elephant’s safe recovery.
The young elephant fell into the large agricultural well, located within a plantation owned by Baan Suea Dao Company in Bo Rai District, Trat Province, on the night of January 18. The well, measuring over 4 meters wide, 10 meters long, and more than 4 meters deep, trapped the elephant, which was seen swimming in circles in an attempt to find an escape route.
In the morning, officials from Khlong Kaeo Waterfall National Park and volunteers arrived with an excavator to dig a path along the well’s edge to create a slope for the elephant to climb out. However, during the operation, the elephant grew frightened and attempted to resist the excavator’s approach. Villagers anxiously observed the scene from the edge of the well, rooting for the elephant’s safe rescue.
Eventually, the elephant managed to climb out of the well safely, though visibly exhausted after spending hours in the water. Once free, the elephant ran back into the forest. It is believed that Sida had been playing near the edge of the well, accidentally knocking a water pump into it, which led to the fall. (TNA)
