Third elephant death to occur within a week
Published on: Wednesday, July 25, 2018
Kota Kinabalu: A male elephant was found dead by the roadside in Kg Karamuak, Tongod, at around 7.40am on Monday, believed to have been shot. It is the third death in a week. Sabah Wildlife Department Public Relations Officer Siti Nur'Ain Ampuan Acheh said a team of wildlife rangers from the Kinabatangan wildlife office who were returning home from elephant control work discovered it. It was three to four years old and a team was sent to investigate as well as conduct post mortem to determine the cause.
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"A wound was found on the elephant's right rump, which led to the finding of a pellet inside its abdomen. Some parts of its intestines were torn and there was severe bleeding inside its abdomen, which suggests several blood vessels were damaged."The cause of death is determined to be hypovolemic shock due to severe internal bleeding caused by the pellet. "From the position of the injury and trajectory of the pellet, it is highly probably that the elephant was shot close range from an elevated place or from the back of a vehicle," she said in a statement.
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According to information gathered during investigation, a herd of elephants had been in Kg Karamuak for the last month. Siti said their team will continue its investigation until it finds the culprit.On July 16, a male elephant aged between four to five years old was found dead in Lahad Datu at the Low Woo Thien Plantation in Ulu Segama.
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An oil plantation worker had informed of the discovery and a team of rangers from the Lahad Datu Wildlife Office was dispatched to the location.An inspection by the team found no criminal signs on the carcass but the elephant's foot was wounded by a snare trap. The case of death is determined to be septicaemia, from the severely injured leg caused by the wound (exposing the bone), concurrent with severe helminthiasis (gastrointestinal parasites infection).On July 23, a juvenile pygmy elephant was found dead near an abandoned logging camp outside the Kuamut Forset Reserve in east coast Kinabatangan district.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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