Thai Fire Kills A Female Elephant and Her Newborn Calf in Preah Vihear Wildlife SanctuaryPREAH VIHEAR, CAMBODIA

Cambodian authorities said on Tuesday, December 23, 2025 that there was a female Asian elephant and her newborn calf were found dead after being struck by a Thai bullet or explosive device at the Osdach point inside the Preah Rokar–Chhaep Wildlife Sanctuary in Preah Vihear Province.

Park rangers and local community officials discovered the carcasses in a stream during a patrol on December 23. Initial examinations indicated that the adult female, weighing approximately 500 kilograms, had sustained wounds consistent with gunfire or shrapnel from an explosive device. The injuries caused the elephant to miscarry, resulting in the death of both the mother and the calf, which weighed about 80 kilograms.

Environmental officials said further investigations are underway, including forensic examinations, to determine the exact cause of death and to decide on appropriate follow-up actions.

According to the Ministry of Environment, rubber plantation workers first reported signs of injured elephants in the area on December 14, including footprints, blood stains, and damaged vegetation. In response, the Preah Vihear Provincial Department of Environment deployed park rangers from the Preah Rokar–Chhaep Wildlife Sanctuary, working alongside wildlife researchers from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), to conduct search operations.

However, the vast forested terrain and the sanctuary’s proximity to active conflict zones along the Cambodia–Thailand border hindered rescue efforts. The elephants were ultimately found dead on December 22.

Speaking at a lecture at the Royal Academy of Cambodia on December 23, Minister of Environment, His Excellency Eang Sophallet condemned the incident, saying the conflict has caused extensive damage beyond human casualties. He added that the war against Cambodian sovereignty has destroyed not only lives and property, but also our natural resources and biodiversity, adding that attacks affecting protected areas violate international law, which prohibits damage to the environment and conservation zones.

Preah Vihear Province is home to an estimated 20 Asian elephants that migrate from the Dangrek Mountains along the Cambodia–Thailand border through the Preah Rokar-Chhaep Wildlife Sanctuary and toward the Cambodia–Laos border. The province contains eight protected sites, including three major conservation areas located along the border: the Preah Vihear Landscape Protected Area, the Kulen–Prum Tep Wildlife Sanctuary, and the Preah Rokar–Chhaep Wildlife Sanctuary. Officials warn these areas are increasingly threatened by environmental destruction and biodiversity loss linked to cross-border encroachment and ongoing hostilities.

Cambodia’s Asian elephants inhabit several regions nationwide, including the northeast, southwest, and northern areas. Conservation authorities note that no elephant deaths had been recorded in the northern region over the past decade prior to this incident. Recent studies estimate that more than 600 Asian elephants now live in protected areas across the country, reflecting years of conservation progress.

Asian elephants are listed as Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List and are protected under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which prohibits international commercial trade in the species.