A wild elephant in Thailand rammed a pick-up truck and flipped it over because the driver refused to wait in traffic while the animal passed. Shocking footage showed the elephant pushing its head and trunk against the vehicle while the driver was still inside. The incident occurred about 80 miles east of the capital Bangkok in rural Chachoengsao province, Thailand, on Saturday evening.
Shocked motorists, who were scared by the incident, reversed while calling emergency services. The elephant disappeared back into the wilderness before wildlife rangers arrived. Driver Panida Anuan said that the person inside the truck was safe but had some bruises because of the fall.
She added that she thought she was going to have a heart attack. Wildlife staff were called, who began tracking the elephant amid fears of a repeat attack. Paramedics also arrived and took the shaken driver to the hospital, where he was treated for minor bruises sustained when the vehicle was pushed over.
Officials believe the elephant attacked the pickup truck in a defensive move because the vehicle tried to continue along on the narrow road past the elephant, instead of cutting the engine and waiting for the animal to walk through the road, which is part of its territory.
Thailand has an estimated 2,000 Asian elephants living in the wild, down from 100,000 a century ago, and around 3,000 in captivity owned privately. In the wild, elephants are seen wandering freely among protected forests, occasionally appearing on the roads that run through them.
Male Asian elephants, unlike African elephants, roam alone once they are over ten years old, while females remain with the herd. They are most active during mating season from November to January when they emerge from the jungles in search of a mate.
There is conflict when elephants come into contact with humans on rural roads and in villages. Wildlife rangers are tasked with monitoring their movements to prevent such incidents. Panida said that they were relieved that the driver was safe, but they are still afraid of passing through that route again.
»Wild elephant in Thailand rams pick-up truck«
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