The Lampang-based National Elephant Institute (NEI) has sent two truckloads of food to more than 70 hungry elephants in Ayutthaya province.
The elephants, used for tourist rides in historical parks at Wang Chang Ayutthaya Lae Paniat elephant centre in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, are facing a food shortage after farms supplying feed were left under water.
The two trucks, one carrying hay and the other pellet food, reached the province yesterday.
The NEI also sent a team of vets to the province to treat the animals, institute director Worrawit Rothjanaphaithoon said. The food supplies are expected to last about a week. The NEI will send more until the flood situation improves.
Most elephants at the centre have been relocated to open ground at the Monument of King Naresuan the Great in the province, which is not affected by the floods. Each elephant consumes between 200kg and 250kg of hay and food pellets a day, centre officials said.
Bangkok Post 14/10/2011
