Cow elephant found dead with gunshot wounds in Sabah

The elephant was about 10 years old and measured eight feet high at the shoulder.

KOTA KINABALU: A cow elephant has been found dead with gunshot wounds in a plantation in Kinabatangan, about 100 metres from the boundary of the Malua Forest Reserve.

Sabah Wildlife Department director Augustine Tuuga said today the carcass was found by a plantation worker on his way to work at about 7am on Aug 4.

“The elephant was said to be still alive and lying on its side when found.

“He (the worker) then informed his plantation manager about the find in the morning on the next day.

“The manager inspected the animal but found it already dead. He then informed the forestry officer at the Malua Forest Reserve the next day,” Tuuga said in a statement.

He said the Wildlife Department dispatched officers to investigate and to conduct a post-mortem.

According to Tuuga, an examination found gunshot wounds on the elephant’s head, abdomen and waist.

“Some of the buckshots and BB pellets penetrated the internal organs.

“From the examination, it is believed that the elephant was shot a week earlier,” he said.

The elephant was estimated to be 10 years old and measured eight feet high at the shoulder, he added.

Tuuga also said that an elephant herd was in the nearby forest at the time of the inspection. -FMT