Wild elephant wanders into store in search of sweet treats

June 5 (UPI) -- A wild elephant wandered out of a national park in Thailand to visit a grocery store, where the peckish pachyderm feasted on eggs and sweet treats.

The 27-year-old elephant, named Plai Biang Lek, is well known to locals for his frequent treks out of Khao Yai National Park in search of snacks.

Residents said he can often be seen walking past a corner store a little over half a mile from the park entrance gate, but on Monday he made what is believed to be his first visit to the store's interior.

The elephant feasted on eggs, dried bananas, a sandwich and nine bags of sweet rice crackers before park rangers arrived to usher him out of the business.

Members of the Khao Yai Elephant Lovers Group donated about $25 to the store to pay for Plai Biang Lek's snacks. The store's owner said he was not angry at the elephant, as the animal must have been hungry.