PUBLISHED : 12 Aug 2025 at 04:45
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A herd of wild elephants in Huai Thap Salao-Huai Rabam Wildlife Sanctuary in Uthai Thani is captured by a surveillance drone in May. Drones are being deployed to help with conservation and preventing conflicts between humans and the wild animals. (Photo courtesy of Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation)
The Environment and Natural Resources Ministry has told the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) to expedite the development of a wild elephant tracking and alert system to ensure the safety of communities within the animals’ range.
According to the minister, Chalermchai Sri-on, the DNP has also been instructed to update its maps, so they could be integrated into a mobile application that provides weekly updates on herd movements. The DNP has also been instructed to establish a rapid response unit to protect residents from wild elephants that wander into populated areas, Mr Chalermchai said.
The department will also launch an initiative to control the population in certain areas, build barriers to prevent elephant incursion, and provide alternative sources of water and food to stop herds from invading locals’ farmland and property, he said.
The plan was announced after a DNP report on wild elephant populations in the East showed that 70-80% of the over 800 wild elephants there have ventured out of their range in search of food.
Several elephants are known to have walked more than 30 kilometres from their usual habitat to forage for food, and some have yet to return.
Between January and Aug 1, there were 3,375 reported incursions, 269 of which resulted in crop damage, while 23 resulted in damage to property, Mr Chalermchai said. Twelve people were killed, and nine injured.