Kota Kinabalu: Wildlife officers are investigating the cause of death of a female elephant found in an oil palm plantation in the Kinabatangan district last week.

A plantation worker stumbled upon the carcass of the cow elephant, believed to have been poisoned, with blood coming out of its mouth at the Leepang plantation, last Sunday.

Sabah Wildlife Director Augustine Tuuga said the elephant, estimated to be around 20 years old, had died less than 24 hours before the worker made the discovery.