Spaniard dies at elephant pool in Thailand, according to the police

tragic incident in the elephant care center

Blanca Ojanguren Garcia, 22 years old, and her friend was just to give an elephant in the Koh Yao Elephant Care Center when the animal reacted from “panic” and injured her with his tushing tooth.

popular activity for tourists in Thailand

The bathing of elephants in animal -friendly facilities is a popular activity for tourists in Thailand, which is home to both wild and domesticated elephant populations. Garcia and her boyfriend were on a day trip to the center, while they lingered in the popular Phuket holiday area, as the responsible police chief of Koh Yao, Charan Bangprasert, announced.

Investigations according to the incident

The owner of the elephant care center informed the police on Friday about the incident. An investigation was initiated, the police chief continued. CNN contacted both the elephant care center and the Spanish embassy in Thailand to get an opinion.

decline in the game population of elephants in Thailand

The elephants, the national animals of Thailand, have experienced a dramatic decline in their wild population in recent decades, due to the threat of tourism, deforestation, poaching, poaching and man's penetration into their habitats. Experts estimate that the wild elephant population in Thailand has dropped to around 3,000 to 4,000 animals, a decline of more than 100,000 at the beginning of the 20th century.

increase in the elephants kept in captivity

In contrast, the number of elephants held in captivity between 2010 and 2020 increased by 134 %. It is estimated that around 2,800 elephants in tourism facilities live across Thailand, as reported by the international non -profit organization World Animal Protection.

demands for better conditions for elephants

The organization spoke out against the exploitation of elephants by the tourism industry and demanded an end to breeding in captivity. It expresses concerns about the conditions under which many of these animals are kept, including their isolation.
"Elephants are highly intelligent animals with the ability to make complex thoughts and emotions", according to the organization in a