In brief
In a heartbreaking incident, a Spanish woman was killed by an elephant she was bathing at the Koh Yao Elephant Care Centre in Thailand. Blanca Ojanguren García, 22, was gored by the panicked animal while participating in the popular tourist activity last Friday. Experts suggest that the elephant's stress from excessive tourist interaction could be a contributing factor to the tragic event. García, studying law and international relations at Spain's University of Navarra, was visiting Thailand with her boyfriend, who witnessed the attack. The Spanish consulate in Bangkok is assisting her family amid the tragedy. Although elephant bathing is a favorite pastime among visitors to Thailand, there are ongoing concerns from animal rights activists about the ethical implications of such activities. The Koh Yao center offers various "elephant care" packages for tourists; however, these experiences have faced backlash for causing stress to the animals involved. World Animal Protection has long advocated against the exploitation of elephants in tourism, highlighting the severe inadequacies faced by many captive elephants in Asia.
Tragic Elephant Attack in Thailand Claims Life of Spanish TouristA 22-year-old student lost her life after a freak incident during an elephant bathing activity at a tourist center in Thailand.In a heartbreaking incident, a Spanish woman was killed by an elephant she was bathing at the Koh Yao Elephant Care Centre in Thailand. Blanca Ojanguren García, 22, was gored by the panicked animal while participating in the popular tourist activity last Friday. Experts suggest that the elephant's stress from excessive tourist interaction could be a contributing factor to the tragic event. García, studying law and international relations at Spain's University of Navarra, was visiting Thailand with her boyfriend, who witnessed the attack. The Spanish consulate in Bangkok is assisting her family amid the tragedy. Although elephant bathing is a favorite pastime among visitors to Thailand, there are ongoing concerns from animal rights activists about the ethical implications of such activities. The Koh Yao center offers various "elephant care" packages for tourists; however, these experiences have faced backlash for causing stress to the animals involved. World Animal Protection has long advocated against the exploitation of elephants in tourism, highlighting the severe inadequacies faced by many captive elephants in Asia.
