The department’s director Augustine Tuuga told FMT that a postmortem carried out on the remains found that the toes on both its front feet had been cut off.
“Foul play is definitely involved because the toes were sawn off,” he said, adding the body was already at a late stage of decomposition, making it difficult to ascertain the cause of death.
“Only 30% of the remains were available during the postmortem. We don’t know of the age or size but only that it was a bull elephant,” he said.
Tuuga said the department will be getting help from police to track down the culprits. No one has yet been identified.
This is the third death of the pygmy elephant species in five weeks. On Sept 23, a bull elephant was also found brutally killed after wildlife authorities found 70 bullets in its body following a discovery at Kalabakan, Tawau.
The Inspector-General of Police, Abdul Hamid Bador, had earlier in Tawau expressed his sadness over the latest death of a Borneo pygmy elephant.
Hamid hoped those involved in such heinous acts would be whipped after their conviction.
“This is under process. I hope this will become a reality where individuals involved in such cruelty will be caned. I will be working hard to convince the Attorney-General’s office that we need this punishment as a deterrent against doing such despicable acts in this country,” he said.
Hamid also said the General Operations Force’s Tiger platoon unit will be tasked in the frontline to assist wildlife and forestry authorities to protect Malaysia’s flora and fauna.
“The Tiger platoon will be making rounds, raids and also track down culprits together with the Sabah Wildlife Department and Forestry Department,” he said after presenting appreciation letters at the Tawau GOF 14th Battalion headquarters today.
The country’s top cop also praised the Tawau police for swiftly arresting six people including a foreigner in the killing of the elephant at Kalabakan.
Hamid also reiterated that he will not hesitate to take action against anyone even if they were VVIPs.