This is the heartbreaking moment a young elephant was treated while slowly dying after being shot by a hunter.
The five-year-old animal was discovered stumbling through woodland in Prachuab Khiri Khan, western Thailand, last Friday (May 29) morning.
Wildlife rangers attended the male jumbo which was too exhausted to move, so they used a winch to help him stand up and munch on grass. Vets arrived at the remote jungle location and began emergency treatment.
However, the elephant became slowly weaker and eventually collapsed onto the ground and passed away two days later.
Distraught medics found five wounds on the elephant's body - one in his left shoulder, two in his left waist, one in his left bottom and another one in his right leg.
They used a metal detector which showed that suspected gunshot had penetrated the skin and become lodged inside the flesh of the elephant.
Footage shows the elephant still breathing as medics injected painkillers and connected a drip. He was getting stronger and vets had hoped to move him to a specialist centre but he passed away on Sunday (May 31).
National Park director Pichai Watcharapongpaibul said: ''The elephant was seriously exhausted and could not stand up or move so he was treated at the scene and monitored closely. Unfortunately he suddenly became weaker and died.
"We don't know how long the bullets had been inside the elephant's body or what type of gun they came from as an autopsy must be performed.''
The wildlife boss said that the National Park staff will start an investigation to find the hunter who shot the elephant, which is believed to have been in retribution for damaging farm land.
He said: "Initially, we will ask the locals living nearby whether they have seen this elephant before or if anybody was angered by the elephants. We will try to find more evidence.''
