Summary
Blanca Ojanguren, a 22-year-old Spanish tourist, was fatally attacked by an elephant at the Koh Yao Elephant Care sanctuary in Thailand while bathing the animal.
She was struck by its tusk, resulting in fatal injuries.
This tragedy highlights the risks of popular recreational activities involving elephants in Thailand.
It follows a recent fatal attack by a wild elephant on a Thai woman and adds to the 39 elephant-related deaths reported in 2024.
Not all “elephant experience” parks are the same. Some only have rescue animals, don’t use them for “shows”, segregate male animals from guests, and only allow interaction on the animal’s terms.
Similar to the difference between an accredited zoo and Joe Exotic.