Probe finds wild elephant died from aspiration, not official negligence
A DNP inquiry found wild elephant Sidor Hupap died from food aspiration and related complications during relocation, not from negligence, as officials suspend future transfers.
The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) said on Monday (March 9) that its fact-finding inquiry had concluded that wild elephant Sidor Hupap died from food aspiration and related complications during relocation, rather than from intentional wrongdoing or negligence by officials.
Speaking at a press briefing, Weera Khunchairak, deputy director-general of the DNP, expressed deep sorrow over the elephant’s death and apologised for the incident, saying it was something no one had wanted to happen. He said the department had spent the past 30 days gathering evidence, questioning 20 witnesses and reviewing more than 100 documents before announcing the findings.
Inquiry clears officials of wrongdoing
Thani Wongnak, director of the Wildlife Protection Division and chairman of the fact-finding committee, said the panel had collected 117 sets of documents and statements from 20 witnesses. He said the committee found that officials had acted within the law and in line with their duty to prevent danger to both people and animals, and that there was no evidence of misconduct or neglect.
He added that the relocation from Phu Wiang National Park in Khon Kaen to Phu Luang Wildlife Sanctuary in Loei had been carried out in compliance with an Administrative Court order, even though the DNP had sought to challenge the temporary protection order through legal channels.
Aspiration and shock cited as cause of death
According to the inquiry, sedatives were administered five times before the elephant collapsed on the transport vehicle. A reversal agent was later given, but the animal’s condition continued to worsen. Officials then found fragments of sugar cane coming from the elephant’s mouth and tried to clear its airway while also treating it for shock and attempting to stimulate heart function.
A post-mortem examination found food remnants and grass in the mouth, an enlarged heart muscle, and large amounts of sugar cane and cassava in the digestive tract. The committee’s preliminary conclusion was that the elephant died from respiratory failure caused by food aspiration, shock and heart failure.
DNP suspends relocations pending new safeguards
The committee also reviewed the sedative dosage used in the operation and concluded that the amount given was within the normal range previously used for wild elephants, with dosage depending on factors such as age, sex, physical condition and external stimuli.
Sukhee Boonsang, director of the Wildlife Conservation Bureau, said the DNP would suspend any further wild-elephant relocations until it had improved its techniques, updated its operating manuals and provided more training for officials. He said the aim was to prevent a repeat of the incident and raise wildlife relocation standards to the highest possible level.
The death of Sidor Hupap triggered a backlash on Thai social media, where animal lovers called for a boycott of resorts near forest areas, accusing their owners of filing complaints that resulted in the elephant’s forced relocation. Campaigners also held at least two rallies urging DNP director-general Atthapol Charoenchansa to resign to show responsibility for the elephant’s death.
