On Saturday, 5 October 2019, the famous Haew Narok Waterfall in the Khao Yai National Park in Thailand claimed several lives.
Six elephants died.
The cause of their deaths?
They died falling off the Haew Narok Waterfall while trying to rescue a baby elephant.
I’m not crying; you are.
This isn’t the first time that the Haew Narok Waterfall has claimed lives. Back in 1992, eight elephants fell off the waterfall.
Perhaps the authorities should block off the waterfall or take measures to prevent further deaths.
How It Happened
So, what happened last Saturday?
Authorities who arrived on the scene saw a group of elephants blocking a road near the waterfall.
Several hours later, the body of a three-year-old elephant was seen at the bottom of the waterfall.
Five more dead elephants were found near the dead elephant.
Fortunately, there were two survivors: The mother of the drowned calf, still stranded near the waterfall, and another elephant.
Authorities have organized rescue efforts to rescue the remaining 2 elephants.
However, Edwin Fiek, founder of Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand, believes that the elephants left in the herd will have trouble surviving because they rely on each other for food and protection.
Elephants are also emotional creatures, so this incident will certainly have an emotional impact on them.
Some Elephant Facts
This incident shows that elephants are highly social and highly intelligent animals that care for one another and are intelligent enough to attempt to ‘look out for one another’.
You know, unlike humans.
Here are some facts about them to make you even sadder.
Three Species
There are three species of elephant: The African Savannah Elephant, The African Forest Elephant and the Asian Elephant. The species found at Haew Narok is the Asian Elephant. The Asian elephant is found in Thailand and India.
Largest Land Animal
You may already know that the elephant is the world’s largest and heaviest land animal. African elephants can reach 3m tall and weigh between 4,000kg to 7,500kg. The Asian species is smaller, standing at 2.7m and weighing 3,000kg to 6,000kg.
Difference Between African & Asian Elephants
Apart from size and weight, African elephants have huge floppy ears that look way too big for their heads. Asian elephants, on the other hand, have ears that look relatively small compared to their heads.
The Asian elephant is on the left while the African species is on the right.
The Tusks of Elephants Never Stop Growing
The tusks of elephants never stop growing, so an elephant with long, majestic tusks is likely an elderly matriarch that ranks high in the herd.
Bulls are free ranging and don’t follow herds, but again, a bull elephant with really long tusks is likely to be an aged bull.
Now, a final remark: the elephant truly is a remarkable creature. We can only hope that the authorities do something about the accident-prone area near the waterfall before other animals get hurt.
Here’s a simplified summary of the South Korea martial law that even a 5-year-old would understand:
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