LAHAD DATU, Sept 28 — The carcass of a female Bornean pygmy elephant was discovered on Friday morning at the Felcra Bhd Estate Danum’s Block 57.
A plantation supervisor found the elephant during a routine patrol at approximately 10.20am, according to a report from the estate’s management to the Sabah Wildlife Department.
Sabah Wildlife Department director Mohd Soffian Abu Bakar stated the elephant is believed to have died one to two days before it was found in the Danum Valley Forest Reserve area.
“Preliminary checks showed no signs of wildlife crime such as gunshot wounds, bullet casings, or external injuries on the animal’s carcass,” he said in a statement on Saturday.
“However, the cause of death has yet to be determined.”
A joint operation with a post-mortem team will be conducted to collect samples for laboratory analysis to determine the cause of death.
The female elephant (Elephas maximus borneensis) was estimated to weigh between 600kg and 1,200kg and stood about 5.2 to 5.9 feet tall.
The case has been classified as “Refer to Other Agency (ROA)” and handed over to the Lahad Datu Wildlife Department for further action. — The Borneo Post
