Female elephant dies of acute poisoning

LAHAD DATU: An adult female elephant was found dead at the Bagahak 1 plantation, here, on Wednesday. It is believed that the elephant died from acute poisoning.

Lahad Datu Wildlife Department officer Sylvester Saimin said a veterinary team from the Sabah Wildlife Department and Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre (SORC) led by Dr Nabila Sarkawi (SORC) conducted a post-mortem on the carcass at about 2.30pm yesterday and took some samples for the Chemistry Department.

“The elephant, estimated to be between 30 and 35 years old, is believed to have been dead more than 72 hours before it was discovered at about 10am by the plantation's management.

“The cause of death, in this case, is suspected to be acute poisoning as the liver is enlarged (hepatomegaly) and based on classical signs of poisoning (with) blood coming out from the orifices,” he told reporters, here, today.

Sylvester said when the carcass was found, there were no external injuries and it bled from the rectum, mouth and ear.

He added further investigations would determine the source of poisoning.

Yesterday, the State Deputy Chief Minister, Datuk Christina Liew said with the latest case in Bagahak 1 Plantation, there have been five elephant deaths in Sabah for the first two months of 2020. – BERNAMA