1987

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The two Survivors of The Tragedy ahead of an uncertain future in The Jungle now

last week, Thailand suffered One of its biggest ever single elephant tragedies, with 11 animals in A Family died in a swollen river.

were held On the first of only six elephants that died Days later.

The original theory by Park Rangers at Khao Yai National Park was that they died in a rescue mission. As they crossed The Treacherous 150m high Haew Narok or hell is a baby, he tripped and The Other fell trying to save it.

Although the loss of 11 elephants is not catastrophic for the species, there's something about you that attracts us, and this apparent self-sacrifice aside, struck a chord around The World -

But emotions, how plausible is it, the elephant would risk both the empathy and the ability to your life for a baby? And perhaps more importantly now, what does this mean for The Survivors ?

The elephant had fallen a minimum of 80m to the bottom of 'the hell ' s Falls'

Dr. Joshua Plotnik, assistant professor of psychology at Hunter College of the City University of New York , has been studying elephants in Thailand for More Than a decade.

He told the BBC that, with no witnesses, we can't assume what happened. But he says that it was "certainly reasonable to assume that, if an elephant in A Family group in danger, The Other elephants could do everything you can to help".

There is well-documented evidence of elephants in the recognition of danger and coordination to save your actions on the stage.

But Dr. Plotnik says, it seems unlikely that they will go "active, all over a waterfall in a dangerous situation".

It was more of a terrible Accident .

discovers The elephant, below the waterfalls in the rushing water

Dr. Rachel Dale , an elephant behaviour specialist at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna, agrees that elephants will undoubtedly help, an elephant is in danger, "even if it is at the expense of self".

But says they are also "intelligent animals, really smart," you, so probably the ability to carry out a kind of superficial assessment of the risk before rushing in.

Notoriously dangerous

Bhichet Noonto of Thailand's Human-Elephant co-existence project in The Office of Thailand's science, research and Innovation, studies of the pattern of elephant habits.

He said the conditions in The Park were a misery to the time of The Accident , and Haew Narok was already a known danger to the elephant in the monsoon season.

In 1992, died eight elephants after he fell about the same if Park officials have said they witnessed A Mother to jump on the opportunity to have a baby. A calf is also suspected of a cliff there in 1987 .

Concrete has been fences to try, elephants, away from the dangers of The Park employees are trying to keep it free from hazards, But can not be successful all the time

in order To prevent further accidents, Park officials built miles of Concrete to draw the pillars, away from dangerous places.

But she could not indicate coverage everywhere, and the rangers saw tracks, this group is a fence that falls all the way to the, until you found a way had followed through, right at The Top .

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The Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation (DNP) said, The Elephants have a native plant that grows only in this area once in a year, and you have a risk, to reach been looking for. Alternatively, they went out of their way to avoid interacting with People .

"There are many types of elephants: polite, naughty, and nice, just like People . If some of them said walking outside of the routes that you are used to, they have a High Risk of falling", DNP Director Songtham Suksawang.

'Trauma' of The Survivors

In another emotional twist, two elephants are known to have The Fall - mother and calf survived. They were caught by the slippery rocks at the bottom, But with The Help of Park officials, the security.

When elephants are, in fact, have to understand the empathy and intelligence, when their kind is in danger and try to save you, what does that mean for The Survivors ?

"This is a big-brained, intelligent, social, empathetic animals," says Dr. Plotnik. "I would argue that they are suffering would be the same kind of trauma we would suffer. "

The exact relationship between the Family Members is not yet known, But if your matriarchal leader was among The Dead , you have lost decades of important information about their jungle Home .

One of The Survivors of elephants was seen, standing next to the corpse of A Family member

Because elephants live about as long as ours and they rely on knowledge, Dr Dale explains, it could take a very long time to see the effects of this kind of loss, and whether it changes their behaviour, or more traditional routes.

But Park officials are confident the two have the skills to survive, and learn to avoid from their experiences drops.

Mr Noonto says reports from the area, there will be several members of The Family elsewhere, that the two Survivors be able to back together with. Failing that, you can from another family group included studies of captive elephants, the shown wild have returned that this is possible, he says.

"you can survive, you can adapt," he says. "Maybe you will, the men encounter on the reconstruction of The Family . "

'This is not wildlife-friendly,'

There is undeniably a fascination about elephants, an animal that have built a relationship over the millennia. In spite of their large size, they are usually gentle, live in families, how they appear to us to have fun, and we see them apparently in mourning. For us, it is easy to say after a disaster, such as Khao Yai .

The Park is lost is reminiscent of elephants by the employees in the ceremonies every year and the death of The Animals to be "very emotional" for the People in Thailand

Dr. Dale argues that the anthropomorphism in the end help The Elephants , though.

"People are good, some things survive, to help us," she says. "To survive, what helps us help other animals to survive, not always. So things do not always see through the human lens to understand to help us, other species, and what other animals need to grow. "

to judge By the setting emotion aside and dispassionately, what makes them think and act as they do, can determine the scientists better, How To prevent disasters like this.

cases like this are rare, says Dr. Plotnik, But they are a reminder that even for an animal as large as the elephant, "the game is not a friendly place".

The Body of this group recovered and examined, then buried in The Park . You are reminded that each year in The Park 's memorial services for his beloved elephant lost.

"It is very sad for the [Park officials], because they wanted this to happen again," says Mr Noonto. "This is very emotional for Thai People . "

elephants, thailand, wildlife conservation, conservation

Source of news: bbc.com