A tragic incident occurred recently when a “panic-stricken” elephant took the life of a Spanish woman.
As per BBC, Blanca Ojanguren Garcia was bathing the elephant at the Koh Yao Elephant Care Centre when the elephant attacked her with its tusks, causing her death.
Garcia was a student of law and international relations at the University of Navarra in Spain and was residing in Taiwan as part of a student exchange program.
She was in Thailand on a trip with her boyfriend who was present at the scene when the elephant attacked her.
As per the local media reports the elephant might have been experiencing stress due to being forced to interact with tourists.
Bathing elephants is a popular activity for tourists in Thailand.
As per the Department of National Parks, Thailand has more than 4,000 wild elephants, and an equivalent number are kept in captivity.
Previously, animal activists have criticized elephant bathing because it disrupts the elephants’ natural behaviour of grooming and causes unnecessary stress, which could lead to injury.
Spain's foreign minister, Jose Manuel Albares announced that the Spanish consulate in Bangkok is providing support to her family during this difficult time.
