NEWS - Fourth Thai Elephant Hurt b

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Subject: NEWS -  Fourth Thai Elephant Hurt by Mine

Wednesday October 20 10:35 AM ET 

 Fourth Thai Elephant Hurt by Mine

 BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - A fourth Thai elephant has stepped on a land
mine, officials reported Wednesday.

 The logging elephant, a 20-year-old female named Motabol, was running
from a cluster of hornets near the stronghold of an armed ethnic rebel
 group inside Myanmar when the mine went off.

 Myanmar's government and ethnic rebels have planted mines along the
border and they have increasingly taken a toll on elephants working at
 logging camps.

 Thai veterinarians partially amputated the shredded left front foot of
a 38-year-old female, Motola, in an operation in August that brought the
 plight of the elephants to world attention. She is recovering and vets
hope she will walk again with a prosthesis.

 Last week, another female and a two-year-old male calf were brought to
veterinary hospitals from the border with mine injuries, though vets
 said they were not as serious and would not require amputation.

 Sanchai Wangchuchuchop, a livestock official in Tak province, 230 miles
northwest of Bangkok, said Motabol's right hind leg was injured by
 the blast Sunday.

 Motabol's owner, identified only as Gilee, told officials that he was
hired by the Karen National Union, a rebel group, to help with logging
at
 their stronghold inside Myanmar, also known as Burma.

 Thira Rakkhuamsuk, head of Kam Phaeng Saein Animal Hospital just south
of Bangkok, said the injury did not sound severe.

 Vets tending the three previous victims reported that they are
recovering well. The main battle is fighting infection.