TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A rock on Taiwan’s north coast in the shape of an elephant lost its trunk to the waves and erosion, reports said Saturday (Dec. 16).

Elephant Trunk Rock was located in the New Taipei City district of Ruifang, near the fishing harbor of Shen’ao. The region is known for several uniquely shaped rocks close to the ocean, including the Queen’s Head at Yehliu Geopark.

A volunteer discovered Saturday around 2 p.m. that the Elephant Trunk Rock’s nose had gone missing, the Liberty Times reported. Despite rough weather with large waves, there were still sightseers taking pictures of the scene, leading local authorities to tighten security around the rock.

Strong waves and long-term erosion by seawater were mentioned as possible reasons behind the damage to the rock, per CNA. In the past, tourists and fishing enthusiasts often climbed the rock and might have contributed to the incident, according to local activists.

Since 2020, visitors had been kept away from climbing Elephant Trunk Rock, though ships still took tourists to give them a view of the unique natural formation from the sea. Ruifang District asked sightseers to stay away from the area for the time being, especially because of strong winds and high waves battering the coast during winter.