Pygmy elephant dies of suspected poisoning

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The elephant, believed to have died from posioning.

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah loses another endangered pygmy elephant to suspected poisoning. 

The adult male believed to be between five and seven years old, was found dead at an estate in Lahad Datu on Friday morning by Felda Sahabat I estate workers.

State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Jafry Ariffin said on Sunday that the elephant was believed to have died about three days ago based on information from the Sabah Wildlife Department.

He said external examination found that the carcass did not have any wounds.

However, there was blood on the trunk, mouth and anus and it had an inflamed rectum with mild prolapse as well as a moderate to severely decomposed tongue, he said.

Jafry said post-mortem results found that all organs were in a moderate to severely decomposed state.

“The preliminary cause of death is due to respiratory failure as a result of various reasons and triggers following toxicity, which means suspected poisoning,” he said.

Sabah Wildlife Department director Augustine Tuuga said although initial investigations show the elephant died due to poisoning, they are unsure whether this was deliberate or accidental.

“Elephants wander in search of food and sometimes consume toxic materials accidentally,” said Tuuga, adding that investigations were ongoing.

Since 2010, 145 cases of elephant deaths have been recorded in Sabah due to poaching, revenge killing and poisoning, as well as accidents, illnesses and other unknown reasons.

In 2019, there was a record of 24 pygmy elephant deaths, with one of the more shocking cases involving an elephant that was found lying in a ravine on the banks of Sungai Udin in Kalabakan, Tawau, with 70 bullets embedded in its body.