News Forum - Truck carrying elephant overturns in northern Thailand

[Thaiger]

A rescue mission has been launched for a badly injured elephant after the truck transporting it overturned in Chiang Mai province, northern Thailand, this morning. The elephant could not get up due to its injuries. At 10.23am today, Thai Elephant Alliance posted a picture of the injured elephant, named ‘Pooh Kham’, on their Facebook page. Thai Elephant Alliance said they received a report requesting an elephant ambulance to Mae Chaem district after a truck carrying an elephant had overturned. The elephant “could barely move”, said the Facebook post. Luckily, a veterinarian and a team of assistants from the Elephant Hospital […]

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[Ramanathan.P]

Looks like the truck is too small for the giant elephant to balance the weigh of the standing elephant as the animal will constantly move its legs to balance its energy while standing. 

[kalyan]

my suggestion would be:-

 

root cause:- an active tall and heavy animal, elephant is put into an comparatively small truck which has a weight vs height ratio vs speed.  The elephant dynamically moved so the weight of the elephant against the twist and turns of the road and truck along with wind speeds.

preventive action:- With immediate all elephants movements needs to be registered, GPS tagged to government portal with truck and other related information for authorities to review before movement. The GPS tag to have a emergency alarm to control center, To ensure further an care taker or a veterinary doctor is escorting the animal.

The corrective action:- To deploy larger truck, if possible to ensure the elephant is sitting so as to reduce over weight vs height ratio, cap on the speed limit strictly.

[HolyCowCm]

Truck's shocks were probably shot and it was probably not dual double rear wheels which made it all the more dangerous. Sorry for the elephant. See this now and then in CM with them transporting elephants.