A hungry wild elephant shocked a family when it raided their garden for food in the middle of the night.

The young bull named Chao Auan crept into the property to gorge on piece of fresh jackfruit and bamboo at the orchard in Nakhon Ratchasima on June 13. The village is on the outskirts of the protected woodland the Thap Lan National Park where hundreds of elephants roam freely.

Chao Auan is believed to have wandered away from his herd before entering the garden in search of a snack.

Onlooker Boriphat Soonthorn, who was familiar with the animal, said: 'Chao Auan has a tendency to explore and venture alone because the forest where the herd resides is already crowded.

'Thanks to his intelligence and keen sense of smell, Chao Auan was able to navigate directly from the national park to the location where the jackfruit and bamboo were planted.'

Boriphat added that the elephant was not aggressive nor destructive, and merely feasted on the fresh fruits without damaging nearby buildings. However, it had flattened several trees in the path due to its size.

Chao Auan stayed in the garden eating for 30 minutes before returning to the national park.

Boriphat said: 'It's not uncommon for wild elephants to come alone and feed on agricultural products in this area. They have never attacked anyone. However, residents and park officials must be vigilant and ready in case the elephants need to be driven back into the forest.'

As of 2023, there are an estimated 3,084-3,500 wild elephants in Thailand. The population has been increasing in recent years, but it is still a fraction of the estimated 300,000 wild elephants that lived in Thailand at the beginning of the 20th century. The main threats to wild elephants in Thailand are habitat loss and fragmentation, poaching, and conflict with humans.