Livestock officers found the body of the mahout in a pool of blood. (Representative Pic)
In a horrifying incident, an elephant in Thailand ripped its handler in half after high temperatures likely made it "go crazy".
According to the Independent, the police informed that the incident took place at a rubber plantation in southern Thailand's Phang Nga province last week. They believe that the elephant had grown frustrated at having to transport rubberwood in the hot weather.
The male elephant, named Pom Pam, stabbed 32-year-old Supachai Wongfaed with its tusks multiple times, tearing his body in half. The preliminary investigation determined that Mr Wongfaed brought the elephant to haul wood at the plantation that morning. However, due to the scorching heat, the 20-year-old tusker went "crazy" and attacked the mahout.
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Following the incident, livestock officers found the body of Mr Wongfaed in a pool of blood, Fox News reported. Officials used a dart gun to sedate the elephant so that the mahout's body could be recovered.
Supachai Wongfaed was the son of the former mayor of the Khok Charoen subdistrict.
Meanwhile, in another similar incident, an elephant in Nakhon Sri Thammarat province stabbed his handler to death last month and stood over his corpse for hours. As per the outlet, the police suspected that the tusker was stressed from the work.
"[It] is yet another stark reminder that Asian elephants are and always remain wild animals that can attack and kill when they are abused or overly stressed by humans," Duncan McNair, CEO of the charity Save The Asian Elephants said.
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Elephants are known for being gentle, however, they can become aggressive when they feel harassed, vulnerable and threatened. Experts also believe that climate change can cause pressure, like diminished food and water supply, which can lead to increased conflict among elephants in the wild.