The dead elephant's stomach contents would be analysed to confirm its cause of death (AFP Photo/Cek MAD) |
A Sumatran elephant has been found dead from an apparent poisoning, an Indonesian conservation official said Thursday, in the second killing of the critically endangered subspecies this week.
The
25-year-old female elephant's corpse was discovered at a palm oil plantation in
East Aceh regency Thursday, hundreds of kilometres from where another was found
decapitated and with its tusks ripped off on Monday -- a suspected poaching
case.
"Our
initial findings found that the Sumatran elephant was allegedly killed by
poison," said Rosa Rika, a doctor with Aceh's conservation agency.
The dead
elephant's stomach contents would be analysed to confirm its cause of death,
she added.
Last year,
a Sumatran elephant was found dead from poisoning in another part of the
region, after several similar cases in recent years.
Rampant
deforestation to create plantations has reduced Sumatran elephants' natural
habitat and brought them into conflict with humans, while their tusks are also
prized in the illegal wildlife trade.
On
Wednesday, some three dozen wild elephants stormed into a village in Aceh,
destroying two homes.
Last month,
Aceh said poachers who threatened endangered animals in the province could
receive up to 100 lashes starting from next year. The conservative region
administers public whippings for a range of offences under local Islamic law.
Indonesia's
environment ministry estimates there are fewer than 2,000 Sumatran elephants
still in the wild.
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