Wild elephants fight to the death on Chanthaburi golf course
The genteel surroundings of a Chantaburi golf course were shattered by the thunder of mortal combat between two giants early on Friday.
Local police and officials from Khao Soi Dao Wildlife Sanctuary were alerted of wild elephants fighting at the Chatrium Golf Resort in Pong Nam Ron district of the eastern province in the early hours of the morning.
Rushing to the scene, they found the body of male juvenile tusker, aged around 6-7 years and weighing over 1 tonne, lying in a dry ditch on the golf course. The animal had suffered deeps cuts and stabbing wounds and was bleeding profusely.
A security guard for the golf course told officials that he heard the sound of two elephants fighting at around 2am on Friday. He went to investigate and found the juvenile fighting fiercely with a much larger male elephant.
“I have seen the dead elephant before. He was living in a herd of wild elephants in the forest behind the golf course," said the guard. He added the two male elephants may have been fighting over a female, as this is now the breeding season.
Police have asked the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation to inspect the dead elephant before burying its corpse.