Joe Fred Lansou, 51, was tending to a wounded calf in an enclosure when he was attacked by an adult elephant, Harian Metro reported.

He suffered injuries to his abdomen and chest and was pronounced dead by medical officers who arrived at the scene.

The Malay daily quoted Penampang police chief Haris Ibrahim as saying that the body was taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital for a post-mortem.

The state’s tourism, culture and environment minister Jafry Ariffin, when contacted, said he was waiting for a detailed report on the incident from the state wildlife department.

State wildlife department director Augustine Tuuga said the incident was being investigated by the police and he was unable to issue any statement regarding the incident at the moment.