Ayutthaya Elephant Palace, an elephant attraction camp in the former capital city, has been accused of elephant trafficking as well as sending animal sperm abroad for artificial insemination.
The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has been urged by Thai Wildlife authorities to inspect the camp for proof that the camp managers lent animals to a German zoo and never got them back.
On Wednesday, Chaiwat Limlikhit-aksorn, a Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation official, said that in 2006, the Ayutthaya Elephant Palace was to loan five female elephants to the Cologne Zoo. However, those animals were never brought back to Thailand, according to Bangkok Post.
It’s also believed that three of the elephants have given birth but the department wasn’t told, which is illegal. He also suspects a violation of the law regarding animal exportation. Chaiwat believes that elephant sperm was delivered from Thailand to Germany for artificial insemination.
Chaiwat adds that he reached out to the DSI because his staff were not able to negotiate with the elephant camp operators.
The elephant camp is a place where visitors can ride elephants and see animal shows.
Apart from the export violations, the Elephant Palace supposedly had two elephants that did not match their identification documents. They are suspected of being two wild elephants captured in Hua Hin.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment was also unable to collect the THB6 million guarantee for temporary animal export from the camp.
Worranan Srilum, DSI’s director of special case management, states that the DSI officials will discuss if the case should be under their jurisdiction
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