On February 11, 2025, at 1:00 a.m., two wild elephant siblings from Khao Ang Rue Nai, Rayong Province, caused a stir when they wandered into the Pa Yub Nai market. The elephants, believed to be searching for food due to a drought and the resulting shortage of natural resources in the area, alarmed villagers and prompted an immediate response from wildlife officials to guide them back into the forest.
Villagers in Pa Yub Nai Market, located in Wang Chan District, were startled when surveillance footage showed the two male elephants, part of a herd from the nearby Khao Ang Rue Nai forest, entering the market. The elephants, likely driven by hunger due to dry conditions, had strayed far from their usual foraging grounds. The dry forest has led to a significant food shortage, and the elephants appeared to be foraging in the market area in search of sustenance.
Upon receiving reports of the elephants’ presence, the elephant watch team quickly mobilized. The team followed the elephants in vehicles, working to drive them back to the forest and away from the village. The elephants were redirected through Khao Mai Nuan, a path approximately three kilometers from the market, to avoid any potential damage to local property.
Local villagers, including Chamnian Rotthukkha, reported that it was unusual for wild elephants to enter the market. She suggested that the animals’ behavior was a direct result of the forest’s dry conditions. Another villager, Suchin Thawornwiriyanan, added that only days earlier, wild elephants had destroyed crops like pineapples and bananas. She expressed concern about future encounters and called for a solution to prevent further incidents.
Thanaporn Thamying, a member of the Khao Yai Da wild elephant monitoring team, confirmed that the two elephants were part of a herd of around seven. The team had been monitoring the herd for about a month when they learned that these two elephants had separated and entered the village. Thamying assured the public that officers were closely monitoring the situation, including throughout the night, to ensure the elephants would not return.
This incident underscores the broader issue of drought in natural forest areas and its impact on wildlife behavior. As animals search for food in human-inhabited spaces, both officials and villagers are urged to collaborate to address the root causes and prevent similar situations from occurring in the future.
