Six baby elephants have died after attempting to rescue one another from falling into a waterfall in southern Thailand. Hell’s Fall waterfall has become notorious among locals in the area after a herd of elephant’s fell to their death in 1992.
The deaths occurred after the brave elephants mounted a rescue attempt for one of their own who had fallen in.
The elephants are believed to have followed after a calf that had initially fallen in, trying to rescue the young animal
Six elephants tragically fell to their deaths at a notorious waterfall in Thailand. The incident occurred in Khao Yai National Park, prompting the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) to respond.
Officials arrived at the scene after a group of elephants blocked a road near the waterfall at 3:00 am. Within hours, a young elephant’s body was discovered at the waterfall’s base, followed by the finding of five more bodies in close proximity.
Two elephants were seen to be stuck on a ledge near to the waterfall and were thrown food by the officials to give them a boost in strength to help them climb back up
Thankfully, the distressed elephants stuck on the edge have been rescued. Two other elephants were also spotted on a nearby cliff edge, but Thai officials successfully extricated them from the ledge.
Edwin Wiek, founder of Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand, explained that elephants left in the herd face survival challenges as they rely on each other for protection and sustenance. With a poignant analogy, he likened it to losing a part of one’s family.
Despite the unfortunate event, nature takes its course, Wiek noted. In Thailand, around 7,000 Asian elephants remain, with approximately half living in captivity.