The elephant camp on the Thai island of Koh Yao Yai was supposed to be the highlight of the holiday for Spaniard Blanca Garcia, but the 22-year-old paid for the experience at the popular tourist attraction with her life. She was attacked by an animal while bathing with the pachyderms and died.
The animal was said to have attacked the 22-year-old student in front of her partner on Friday as the couple and other holidaymakers were washing and scrubbing the elephants in a body of water. Bathing with the animals in rivers or ponds is one of the attractions in such camps.
A photo of the slain Spanish woman:
Great stress for the animals
El Mundo newspaper, citing its owner, wrote that the Koh Yao Elephant Care Center was temporarily closed after the tragic incident. The website was also down.
Here, the Koh Yao Elephant Care Center promotes bathing with the pachyderms:
The elephant was likely under great stress due to constant interaction with tourists, animal rights activists news site The Thaiger said. Many elephants live isolated and far from their natural habitat – and are constantly forced to perform actions that are unnatural to them.
Encountering elephants is promoted as animal-friendly
Thailand is home to thousands of domesticated elephants and their mahouts (elephant handlers). In recent years, the much-criticized exploitation of animals for tourist horse riding has declined significantly. Since then, numerous elephant camps, most advertised as sanctuaries for rescued animals, have offered up-close, supposedly animal-friendly encounters with Thailand’s national animal.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
