Weary elephants trudge back to jungle after Covid-19 decimated tourism industry

Footage shows elephants that had worked in the tourism industry being walked back into the jungle in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand.

The jumbos have been left without work after holidaymakers were banned and elephant centres forced to close amid the Covid-19 restrictions.

Kind locals raised money to support mahouts making the long journey along mountain roads with their animals.

The fund-raising money was given to the needy mahouts who have struggled to feed their elephants during the coronavirus chaos.

Footage shows the final leg of the five-day journey before the elephants were released into their natural habitat to forage for food.

District sheriff Boonlue Thamtharanurak said kind locals had raised money to help the elephants live naturally again.

He said: "The elephants have been living with their mahouts for so long that they could have a hard time adapting to the wild, so the donations will be used to help with that.

"We raised the money to support the mahouts in their long trip taking the jumbos back to the jungle and for the foods that they would feed them along the way."