A tourist was gored to death by an elephant she was bathing in Thailand, said local police.
The “panic-stricken” animal attacked Blanca Ojanguren García, 22, as she gave it a bath at the Koh Yao Elephant Care Centre on Friday.
Experts said the elephant may have been stressed by forced contact with tourists and removal from its native habitat.
García was a law and international relations student at the University of Navarra in Spain, and had been residing in Taiwan as an exchange student. She was accompanied by her boyfriend to Thailand, who was present during the attack.
The family of the deceased is receiving aid from the Spanish consulate in Bangkok, said Spain’s foreign minister, Jose Manuel Albares.
Elephants, native to and a national symbol of Thailand, have proven a popular tourist attraction, hence tourist spots such as the Koh Yao Centre have cashed in on “elephant care packages” which allow visitors to prepare food for and feed the elephants, bathe, and walk with them. These cost from 1,900 baht to 2,900 baht (about ₱3,200 - ₱ 4,900).
However, animal activists have long denounced elephant bathing activities, as these interfere with natural grooming behaviors and needlessly subject the animals to stress and may result in possible injuries.
