Thai park where 11 elephants died in waterfall strengthens fences

Thailand: Five more dead elephants have been found at the bottom of a Thai waterfall known as “Hell’s Abyss”, the environment minister said Wednesday, as rangers reinforced barriers to try to stop the creatures wandering into the dangerous area.
Drones were used to make the latest grim discovery at the waterfall in Khao Yai National Park, bringing the number of elephants who fell to their deaths in the disaster to 11 after six bodies were found over the weekend.
Elephants are known to develop strong social bonds and officials believe a younger one slipped off the cliff, prompting a doomed attempt by the others to reach it.
Safety measures are being beefed up at the park around 120 kilometres (70 miles) northeast of Bangkok, where officials are helping create more water and food sources nearby to discourage other elephants from returning to the deadly spot.
“I have instructed them to reinforce the fences and barricades that they currently have,” natural resources and environment minister Varawut Silpa-archa told AFP.
Elephants are Thailand’s national animal but numbers in the wild have dwindled to only a few thousand due to deforestation and habitat loss.