Elderly elephant stabbed to death by younger bull in musth, in Pattaya

Published on April 20, 2013 by TFP   ·   No Comments

CHONBURI 19 April 2013 (NNT) â€" An elderly elephant was stabbed to death by a raging male elephant in musth, at an elephant shelter in Pattaya.

Elephant shelter staff found the 69-year-old elephant bull, Phlai Sompong, dead from multiple stabs to its left abdomen, inflicted from the tusks of 30-year-old bull Phlai Noi.

Khao Chichan elephant shelter manager Panchanaphon Sinsukbarirak said the two elephants were in musth and were fighting each other. Workers and tourists at the elephant shelter were sent panicking when the large pachyderms clash.

The younger bull was chained to a tree outside the elephant shelter, but it snapped free of the chain and roamed into the shelter chasing elephant sows to mate with them. When it encountered the older elephant bull, which was also in musth, the fatal clash erupted.

Musth is a period of heightened testosterone presence in male elephants. Elephant bulls can become extremely aggressive during such period.

A funeral by Buddhist monks was held for the dead elephant. Because Phlai Sompong was a long-lived elephant, shelter staff said its two tusks will be put up for worship, to bring about prosperity to worshippers.

(NNT: นโม วนานุพงษ์)

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Article source: http://www.thethailandlinks.com/2013/04/20/elderly-elephant-stabbed-to-death-by-younger-bull-in-musth-in-pattaya/