This is the heartwarming moment that two stranded elephants were rescued this morning (April 10) after spending the night stuck in a muddy pool.<br /><br />The jumbos fell into the pit in Rayong, eastern Thailand, last night but could not climb back out because of the steep sides.<br /><br />They are believed to have been separated from their herd and lost their footing in the darkness.<br /><br />National Park officers rushed to the village and found the jumbos were struggling in a five-metre deep pool that locals had dug to store water for agricultural use.<br /><br />Rescuers brought a backhoe to smash the steeps and flatted the earth to create a pathway, allowing the elephants to walk out.<br /><br />Locals believe the elephants had been stuck in the irrigation pond for the whole night as they had heard noises the previous evening. However, a strict COVID-19 coronavirus curfew which carries a 40,000 baht or two-year jail sentence prevented them from wandering outside.<br /><br />One of the locals said: "Last night I heard the sound of elephants but I did not dare to check on them, because it happened during the curfew time.<br /><br />"Then when the morning came I found the two were struggling in the pool and I contacted the national park officers."<br /><br />The two frightened elephants trudged back into the wilderness. <br /><br />National Park staff said they would track the pair to ensure they are reunited with their herd.
