Instant CAR-ma! Hungry elephant attracted by BBQ smell flips over a family’s vehicle in act of karma after they broke campsite cooking rules
A hungry elephant attracted by the smell of barbecue overturned a family’s vehicle as a sign of karma after they broke camping ground rules.
The family were visiting a resort in the Khao Yai forest in northeastern Thailand when they ignored the advice of park rangers and cooked a barbecue meal on August 11.
A herd of elephants smelled the aroma of the grilled chicken and pork and walked out of the forest into the parking lot.
Footage shows three elephants and two calves stomping around the campsite, looking for food. A female became frustrated and attacked the family’s black Honda, kicking it with her front leg.
The elephant then used her giant trunk to roll the sedan onto its side, eventually flipping the roof over. With no food forthcoming, the herd trudged back into the forest.
The family was visiting a resort in the Khao Yai forest in northeastern Thailand when they ignored the advice of park rangers and cooked a barbecue meal on August 11. A herd of elephants smelled the barbecued chicken and pork and wandered out of the forest and into the parking lot.
Footage shows three elephants and two calves stampeding around the campsite in search of food, before a female became frustrated and attacked the family’s black Honda by kicking it with her front leg
She then used her giant trunk to roll the sedan onto its side, eventually flipping the roof over. With no food appearing, the herd trudged back into the forest.
No one was injured, but the car was badly damaged and had to be towed to a garage for repairs.
Chaiya Huayhongthong, head of Khao Yai National Park in Nakhon Ratchasima province, said park rangers were aware of the incident and sent the elephants deeper into the jungle to avoid further clashes with people.
The conservationist said: ‘The elephants followed the smell of food after guests secretly cooked in their enclosure, causing the animals to forage for food.
‘The car owner showed understanding for the situation after the park offered small compensation and helped return the vehicle to Bangkok.
“I would like to remind tourists to adhere to the park rules, which prohibit cooking.”
Elephants are known for their voracious appetites. The World Wildlife Federation (WWF) found that they need to eat up to 150kg of food a day – the equivalent of 375 tins of baked beans.
According to conservationists in Thailand, the animals living in the wild have even developed a taste for human food, preferring to rummage around in homes and vehicles for snacks rather than the tasteless leaves they find in the forest.
There are an estimated 3,500 wild elephants living in Thailand and encounters with humans have increased in recent years.