FOREST FIRES roaring through Trat province since Feb. 26 have destroyed over 2,500 rai of forests so far with wild elephants too now fleeing for safety, Naewna newspaper said today (Mar. 7).
Mr. Pasawat Chotiwatphongchai, head of both unit 15 for resolving wild elephant problems and Klong Kaew Waterfall National Park, said after several days of fires raging through the forests elephants that live in this national park have now started moving out.
A drone flown by rangers spotted a herd of 13 elephants trumpeting as they walked down a rural road toward the national park base.
Elephants also left the national park at two other points with 12 of them having moved to Nong Bon subdistrict, Bo Rai district. Another herd was not seen and only heard at Nonsee subdistrict, Bo Rai district, where they were eating and playing on an island in the middle of Khlong Sano Reservoir without causing any damage.
Trat Governor Mr. Chamnanwit Teera said he had been getting reports of wild elephants being affected by forest fires for a few days now and it is worrying because there are landmines in this area.
However Klong Kaew Waterfall National Park’s wild elephant unit is closely monitoring the situation.
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Wild elephants escaping forest fires in Trat. Photos: Naewna
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