A 22-year-old Spanish tourist has died after being attacked by an elephant while bathing the animal at an elephant care center in Thailand. Blanca Ojanguren Garcia, a resident of Valladolid in northwestern Spain, was bathing an elephant at Koh Yao Elephant Care on Friday, January 3, when the animal pierced her with its tusk, according to Spanish outlets El Mundo and el pas Informed. He later died of his injuries. At the time, Ms Garcia was visiting Yao Yai island in southwestern Thailand with her boyfriend. Authorities have not yet released details about the extent of her injuries or whether her boyfriend was also harmed.
Ms Garcia was a fifth-year student at the University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain, pursuing a degree in law and international relations. As part of her studies, she was participating in a university exchange program in Taiwan. The university issued a statement expressing its deep sorrow over his tragic death, offering condolences to his family and requesting prayers for his soul.
The Foreign Ministry and the Spanish Embassy confirmed Blanca’s death and said they were assisting her relatives, who are believed to live in Valladolid. “We can confirm the tragic death in an accident of a Spanish tourist,” the statement said. “The Spanish Consulate in Bangkok is in contact with the relatives of the victim and is providing all necessary consular assistance, as required in circumstances of this type.” “I’m normal.”
According to experts, the elephant attack may have been caused by stress caused by living outside its natural ecosystem and interacting with tourists, the newspaper reported. clarinIn Thailand, grooming and bathing with elephants are common tourist activities, which can potentially disrupt the animals’ natural behavior and cause them undue stress.
elephant in thailand
Thailand is home to a significant population of elephants, with the National Parks Department estimating that more than 4,000 wild elephants live in its sanctuaries, parks and nature reserves. Additionally, there are approximately 4,000 pet elephants, which are mainly used in tourist shows.
However, the treatment of these pet elephants is a concern. The World Organization for Animal Protection estimates that 2,798 elephants are kept at tourist sites throughout Thailand, often kept in isolation and forced to perform unnatural feats and activities. The organization also reported that trainers often use cruel, punishment-based training methods, including physical abuse with sticks or sharp metal objects.
In particular, Thailand has made significant efforts to protect its elephant population. The country has established protected areas such as the Western Forest Complex, which provides habitat for a large number of wild elephants. Additionally, Thailand has enacted legislation including the Elephant Ivory Tusk Act and the Wildlife Protection and Conservation Act to protect the welfare of elephants and prevent exploitation.
Human-elephant conflict has been increasing in Thailand, especially since 2000. There have been at least 227 deaths from wild elephant attacks over the past 12 years, including 39 in 2024, according to figures from the Thai National Parks Department.
