LAHAD DATU: A two-year-old Borneo pygmy elephant was found dead by oil palm plantation workers near the river area of Ladang Bagahak Saru in Tungku near here on Tuesday.
Lahad Datu wildlife officer Silvester Saimin said the male calf is believed to have been dead for almost a week.
“Upon cutting open the carcass, all its organs were severely autolysed and the shapes of abdominal organs could not be assessed. Heart and lungs were also severely autolysed. Cause of death could not be diagnosed due to severe autolysis of the carcass,” he said when contacted today.
He added that the lung and heart tissue samples had been taken for further investigation.
Silvester had earlier said that the calf had been found without its trunk, left ear and left lip and a hole in the abdomen area, suspected of being eaten by predators.