Orphaned Elephant Calf Rescued From Snare, Awaits Wild Release
An orphaned elephant calf rescued from a snare in Chanthaburi is being rehabilitated at a wildlife breeding station for release within 15 days.
On November 2, 2026, the Conservation Area Administration Office 2 (CAA2), through the Khao Soi Dao Wildlife Breeding Station in Soi Dao District, Chanthaburi Province, together with a veterinary team and relevant officials, jointly assessed the behavior and established a care plan for a male wild elephant calf approximately 1.5 years old. The calf is in the transition phase from mother's milk to natural forage, after being moved from a rubber plantation in Kaeng Hang Maeo District due to its heartbreaking behavior of circling and standing by its dead mother.
A preliminary health assessment found the calf to be slightly underweight, with minor wounds and inflammation on its leg joint from the snare trap, which veterinarians have already treated. Regarding feeding behavior, the calf can use its trunk to grasp food on its own. Officials are therefore preparing to trial natural foods such as wild bananas, rubber leaves, thorny bamboo, and kapok, while also supplementing gut microorganisms by providing fresh elephant dung for the calf to consume naturally, to aid in digesting plant matter and optimize its physical condition.
Mr. Phitak Yingyong, Director of the Wildlife Conservation Division, CAA2, revealed that initially, the calf is expected to be cared for at the breeding station for no more than 15 days, with the ultimate goal of safely returning it to nature. However, the calf's physical health, behavior, and the readiness of the release site — such as the forest near the breeding station, Prasae Reservoir, Pwa Yai Reservoir, or Khao Sip Ha Chan National Park — must be carefully assessed to prevent the risk of rejection by wild elephant herds in the area. The necropsy results for the mother elephant to determine the cause of death are expected within the next 7 days.
