Elephant and calf die in breech delivery

 

The elephant died while giving birth and both mother and calf were buried at the plantation (Facebook pic)

JOHOR BAHRU: A female elephant wandered into a plantation near here to give birth but both mother and unborn calf died because of complications in a breech delivery.

Johor Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) director, Salman Saaban said they received a call from a worker of the Mados Plantation, Lenggor, near Mersing at 1.30pm who had discovered an elephant having difficulty giving birth.

He said three Mersing Perhilitan personnel were rushed to the location while six plantation workers were monitoring the situation.

However, he said that about 5pm, the elephant was no longer moving.

“Upon checking, it was found that only the legs of the calf were sticking out. It was a breech delivery and the female elephant had died due to dystocia or obstructed labour,” he said in a statement here today.

Salman said attempts to save the male calf also failed and it died in the mother’s womb.

“The elephant’s abdomen was cut open in an attempt to save the calf but it was unsuccessful,” he said.

The carcasses of the elephants were then buried with the help of the plantation management, he added. - FMT