Its director, Augustine Tuuga, said wildlife officers had been deployed and it may take some time to reach the site due to the difficult terrain.

He was thankful that villagers had assisted the department in securing the carcass.

“They have tied the carcass so it won’t be washed further downriver.

“At this point, we are not sure whether the elephant died of natural causes or was a victim of wildlife poachers.

“What I was made to understand is that the carcass was washed down from upriver and got stuck in the river,” he said when contacted.

Tuuga said more details would be known once his officers reached the site.

There have been three elephant deaths recorded in the span of five weeks, starting from the senseless shooting of a bull elephant at a plantation in Kalabakan, Tawau on Sept 23.

Six suspects were arrested, including a foreign migrant in that case.

On Oct 20, another elephant was found dead in Beluran, with its tusks sawn off.

Sabah had earlier announced a 10-year action plan to increase the conservation efforts of Sabah’s shrinking pygmy elephant population.

A paper will be presented to the state Cabinet by early next year.

Sabah is down to only about 2,000 elephants. These pygmy elephants are only found in Borneo.