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KOTA KINABALU: An adult female Borneo pygmy elephant was found dead in a plantation in Kinabatangan, while a male calf was rescued and taken to the elephant sanctuary.
Investigations into the elephant’s death are ongoing, but poisoning is suspected, Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) director Augustine Tuuga said on Saturday (November 28).
The carcass of the 20-year-old female elephant was discovered by a worker at Ladang Leepang 3 plantation on Sunday (November 22) around 5:20 p.m.
“There were no visible bodily injuries due to sharp objects, but blood stains came from the mouth.
After recovering the remains, a team led by a SWD vet performed an autopsy on November 23, with the Kinabatangan police also present.
“Samples have been taken for investigation and toxicological analysis by the investigating officer.
The official post-mortem report has not yet been published, ”Tuuga said.
The elephant is believed to have died less than 24 hours before being found, as the corpse had not rotted and there was still no stench.
Tuuga said the case is being investigated under Section 37 of the 1997 Wildlife Conservation Act (for the killing of an animal).
Meanwhile, a 1.3m tall male elephant calf was safely relocated to the Borneo Elephant Sanctuary (BES) within the Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary on Saturday morning.
The calf was initially found wandering around Kampung Sukau in Kinabatangan on Friday (November 27), and a SWD team tended to it before moving the animal in a transport box on a truck on Saturday.
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