Another elephant dies in Sabah, making it 26th case reported in the state this year

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah recorded its 26th elephant death for this year as a juvenile male succumbed to snare trap injuries while undergoing treatment at Borneon Elephant Sanctuary in Kinabatangan this morning.

State Wildlife Department spokesman Siti Nur’ain Ampuan Acheh said the juvenile male elephant, aged about 5, was rescued at Ulu Segama Forest Reserve in Lahad Datu on Tuesday.

“A team consisted of a veterinarian and wildlife rangers was dispatched to the location to rescue the injured elephant.

“They managed to capture the elephant and initiated treatment,” she said in a statement, adding the elephant was weak and had suffered a severe and deep wound which already reached the bone of left front leg.

She added further treatment was supposed to be done at the sanctuary but it did not respond well to the treatment and died at 8.40am this morning.

“Post mortem was conducted to determine the cause of death.

“Findings revealed that the elephant died due to septicemia which originated from the severe snare trap injury.”

On Thursday, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal had ordered the state Tourism, Culture, Environment Minister Christina Liew and Agriculture and Food Industry Junz Wong to hold special meetings with plantation owners on the issue.

The initiative is to engage plantation workers to help with the fight against poaching and killing in their areas.

Liew had said a special unit will be formed when experts from the United States arrive to address elephants poaching and killing issues in Sabah.

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Injured elephant captured in Sabah oil palm plantation dies

Sabah Wildlife Director Augustine Tuuga said the elephant, estimated to be six or seven years of age, had shown signs of injury when it was captured by the Wildlife Department’s Rescue Unit.

He said the elephant was reported to have been aggressive towards plantation workers and villagers in surrounding areas, which led to its capture on Nov 24 at Desa Plantation, and was then taken to Borneo Elephant Sanctuary.

“While undergoing medical examination and treatment, its tongue was found to have serious wound, believed to have been caused by a gunshot.

“The wound on the tongue made the elephant unable to eat or drink,” he said in a statement here tonight.

Tuuga said a post mortem conducted on the elephant found a bullet lodged in the injured front left leg and there were also gunshot marks on the body, but did not penetrate or caused any internal organ injury.

“Dehydration is believed to be the cause of death because the elephant was unable to drink due to the injury on its tongue,” he said.

Tuuga said the Sabah Wildlife Department would be investigating the case as it involved the death of a totally protected species.

“While the Sabah Wildlife Department fully understand the problem faced by the people associated with elephant in their environment, we would really appreciate cooperation from all concerned by contacting the department’s nearest office for assistance to mitigate disturbance and property loss,” he said. — Bernama

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Elephant killed by tour bus in Malaysia

A 10-year-old elephant was killed on Wednesday morning after it was hit by a tour bus along the Gerik-Jeli Highway, according to wildlife activist group Management & Ecology of Malaysian Elephants, reports Channel News Asia. In a Facebook post, MEME shared police photos that showed the injured elephant on the side of the road. The animal was seen to have sustained head and body injuries.

No one on the bus, which sustained a large crack on its windscreen, was reportedly hurt. The Malay Mail cited Gerik police deputy Chief Mohd Sohaimi Ishak as saying that the bus was driving down a slope when the elephant suddenly ran across its path.

Perak Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) director Loo Kean Seong also said that the forested area where the incident happened is also a habitat for elephants, said the The Star.

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10-year-old elephant killed by tour bus in Malaysia

A 10-year-old elephant was killed on Wednesday (Aug 23) morning after it was hit by a tour bus along the Gerik-Jeli Highway, according to wildlife activist group Management & Ecology of Malaysian Elephants (MEME).

In a Facebook post, MEME shared police photos that showed the injured elephant on the side of the road. The animal was seen to have sustained head and body injuries.

No one on the bus, which sustained a large crack on its windscreen, was reportedly hurt. The Malay Mail cited Gerik police deputy chief Mohd Sohaimi Ishak as saying that the bus was driving down a slope when the elephant suddenly ran across its path.

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Miss Tripod gets a new prosthetic leg

KUALA GANDAH: Selendang the elephant, who nearly lost her front left leg in a wire-trap, a decade ago, now has new lease of life, after being fitted with a prosthetic leg.

The 12-year-old Pachyderm is now able to walk and balance normally with the aid of the prosthesis.

It was some 10 years-ago, that Selendang, then a three-year-old, almost lost her leg, when it was caught in a man-made wire trap, in August 2007, near Felda 3, Rompin.

Nicknamed Miss Tripod, her new prosthetic leg was through the generous courtesy of Export-Import Bank of Malaysia Berhad (Exim).

Her mahout Khairol Adha Mat Amin said fixing the prosthesis will not only involve physical but also psychological treatment as Selendang had also suffered a mental trauma.

“Due to her young age trauma, Selendang needs therapy every day to help regain her confidence. “Also, this is not her first time with the prosthetic leg, she was previously fitted with six others but elephants grow bigger every six months and we’re thankful for the donation,” he said.

“Our challenge here is to have it fitted and train Selendang as she has already begun to feel more comfortable without the prosthesis,” said Khairol.

Limb Brace Rehab Appliances prosthetic maker Frank Lim said in order to make it more comfortable for Selendang to walk, the prosthesis must be fool-proof so there's no room for her to open it.

“Assuming the cast fits well, she will be able to walk around the sanctuary … we will see within one week whether the prosthesis suits her or not,” said Lim.

Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) Deputy Director general Hasnan Yusop said the opportunity presented by Exim bank for Selendang was amazing, as it will finally see her have a specific prosthetic leg, suited for her.

Exim vice president Mohd Nasir Johar hoped the prosthetic leg, will enable Selendang to walk with confidence.

“I hope this will let the public be more aware of the Kuala Gandah sanctuary which is to help preserve the elephants

“We should not just rely on the government to protect the nature but we ourselves need to play our part,” said Nasir.

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