JAKARTA, May 28 (NNN-ANTARA) – A pregnant Sumatran elephant was found dead, of suspected poisoning, in an oil palm plantation area in Riau Province of Indonesia, said the Riau Natural Resources Conservation Centre (BKSDA) yesterday.
Acting Head of the Riau BKSDA, Fifin Arfiana Jogasara, said, the 25-year-old elephant was found in a sleeping position, in the middle of the road and had blood coming out from its mouth and anus.
“It seems the elephant died from being poisoned,” Jogasara said.
This is a very sad incident, as the elephant is expected to give birth next week, Jogasara added.
A medical team has taken samples of the elephant’s organs for laboratory tests, to investigate the cause of its death.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature, classifies the Sumatran elephant, in the Red List of critically-endangered species, with 693 individuals remaining, based on data from the Riau BKSDA.– NNN-ANTARA
