Thai Elephant Steps on Landmine.

A 22-year old Thai elephant was injured when he wandered into Myanmar and stepped on a landmine.

The elephant is now at a rehab facility while veterinarians try to repair the damage to his badly mangled foot. The hospital treating the elephant says that this is the fourteenth such injury on an elephant they’ve seen since 1993.

Anti-landmine coalitions have said the areas around Myanmar have “extensive” landmine contamination. The weapons are a threat to both innocent animals and local people. In 2008 alone, 721 people were killed by stepping on landmines near Myanmar.

A sad reminder that wars affect everyone, not just those who choose to wage them.

[photo from the AP]