PHUKET: There were tragic scenes at an elephant camp near the Big Buddha yesterday (February 28) as officials dragged reluctant young elephant Popeye away from his friends and into a truck to be transported to the Parks Office at Khao Phra Taew in Thalang.
Wednesday 29 February 2012 11:29 AM
Looking out of the truck, Popeye appears to weep.
Elephants in trekking camps form tightly-knit groups.
Resisting: Popeye digs his heels in. But in the end, the mahouts won.
I don't want to go - mahouts pull Popeye's ear and use an 'ankus' - a sharp curved tool - to get him into the truck.
As Popeye squealed and dragged his feet, mahouts at the ATV Seaview Elephant Trekking Camp pulled him by the ears and used ‘ankuses’ – sharp curved implements – to get him into the truck.
Once in the truck, the young elephant appeared to be weeping at the loss of his friends.
Popeye was one of two young elephants confirmed by authorities to have been held illegally.
See earlier story with background here.
