SWD director Augustine Tuuga said the female elephant would have suffered much pain as reflected by the number of bullets found in the body.

Tuuga told Bernama he did not want to elaborate in view of the ongoing investigation to identify the cause of death and to gather evidence to bring those responsible to court.

He said the investigation did not have a time-frame but had to be carried out within a month according to the department’s standard operating procedure.

The carcass of the pygmy elephant was discovered by anglers. It was believed to have been dead for three to four days.

The elephant, with a height of 1.8m, was estimated to be between 11 and 12 years old. It had gunshot wounds on the cheeks, head, body and the back.

Tuuga said his department will continue to work closely with the local community to ensure such an incident does not recur and to report those spotted engaging in such activities to the authorities.