Elephant is starved to death by its owner who refused to feed it for a month as punishment for its 'bad behaviour'

  • The elephant, called Beong Kok, sparked outrage when he ran away from his owner in Cambodia last month 
  • The 35-year-old animal rampaged through a village, damaging houses, before being caught two days later
  • His owner thought not feeding him would weaken the elephant enough to prevent aggressive behaviour
  • But Beong Kok became frail and finally collapsed on a muddy road before dying on Saturday night

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An elephant was starved to death by its owner in Cambodia - who refused to feed him for a month as a punishment for 'bad behaviour.'

The 35-year-old elephant, named Beong Kok, sparked outrage when he ran away and rampaged through a village, damaging houses in Sen Monorom last month. 

His furious owner caught him two days later, on March 28, and refused to feed him - believing that weakening the elephant would stop the unpredictable behaviour. 

An elephant was starved to death by its owner in Cambodia - who refused to feed him for a month as a punishment for 'bad behaviour'

An elephant was starved to death by its owner in Cambodia - who refused to feed him for a month as a punishment for 'bad behaviour'

Beong Kok became increasingly frail - finally collapsing on a muddy road on Saturday after losing the strength to stand on his own feet

Beong Kok became increasingly frail - finally collapsing on a muddy road on Saturday after losing the strength to stand on his own feet

But Beong Kok became increasingly frail - finally collapsing on a muddy road after losing the strength to stand on his own feet. 

Wildlife workers found him on Saturday at 9.45am but were unable to save him. He died later that night. 

Khun Diyon, a worker from a local elephant conservation organisation who tended to Beong Kok, said the elephant hadn't injured anyone during his rampage. 

'Weakened by starvation, the elephant had no strength to rise and stand on its own despite making several attempts to rise up,' he said.

Wildlife workers found him on Saturday at 9.45am but were unable to save him. The elephant died later that night

Wildlife workers found him on Saturday at 9.45am but were unable to save him. The elephant died later that night

Beong Kok is pictured after he escaped last month and rampaged through a village before being caught two days later

Beong Kok is pictured after he escaped last month and rampaged through a village before being caught two days later

Khun Diyon, a worker from a local elephant conservation organisation who tended to Beong Kok, said the elephant hadn't injured anyone during his rampage

Khun Diyon, a worker from a local elephant conservation organisation who tended to Beong Kok, said the elephant hadn't injured anyone during his rampage

'The elephant died late in the evening after he fainted in the morning, following many days of fainting.'

He added that Beong Kok had been shot with tranquiliser guns after the rampage last month. 

The owner believed that withholding food 'would weaken him' and prevent aggression. 

'Expert officials could not save him because this elephant had no power and no food to eat. We are sorry to lose the elephant,' Khun Diyon added. 

Local government workers are now investigating the death after tracking down the owner. 

Wildlife workers (pictured) found the starved 35-year-old elephant in Cambodia on Saturday morning

Wildlife workers (pictured) found the starved 35-year-old elephant in Cambodia on Saturday morning