Dead Elephants In East Aceh Allegedly Drinking Grass Poison

The East Aceh Police through the Serbajadi Sector Police stated that the temporary cause of death of the Sumatran elephant (elephas maximus sumatranus) in the field of a resident of Gampong Alur Pinang, Peunaron District, East Aceh Regency, was due to drinking grass poison.

"Temporarily, the death of an elephant whose carcass was found in a resident's field was caused by drinking grass poison," said Serbajadi Police Chief AKP Sudirman as reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, August 27.

From the results of the processing of the crime scene, a hut that was damaged was allegedly torn apart by the wildlife.

"In the hut, jerry cans were found filled with grass poison with open conditions. The grass poison in jerry cans was allegedly drunk by the elephant," said Sudirman.

In addition, said the police chief, from the team's search at the location, no sharp objects or tools were found that were suspected to be the cause of the death of the wild elephant.

"The game is still intact, so the initial suspicion is that the cause of death is not due to hunting, but a liquid suspected by farmers or planters toxicating grass," said Sudirman.

The police chief said that his party received information about the discovery of elephant carcasses in a resident's field in Gampong Alur Pinang, Peunaron District, East Aceh Regency.

"From this information, we together with members of the Koramil, the head of the local hamlet, and members of the Leuser Conservation Forum went straight to the location. At the location, we put up a police line for security," said Sudirman.

An individual male Sumatran elephant estimated to be 18 years old was found dead in Arul Pinang Village, Peunaron District, East Aceh Regency, on Tuesday (26/8) afternoon.

Acting Keuchik (village head) Arul Pinang Samsi Alauddin said based on the coordinates, the location where the dead elephant was found was in another user area (APL).

"We received information from environmental activists and village officials who lived in Alur Kijing Hamlet that the elephant was found dead on Tuesday (26/8) afternoon. Then, we continue to go to muspika to find the elephant carcass," he said.

Samsi Alauddin said that the carcass of the male elephant was initially found by the elephant patrol team from the Leuser Conservation Forum (FKL). Then it was reported to him as the village head.

Samsi Alauddin estimates that the elephant died the day before it was found because the carcass of the protected animal had emitted an unpleasant odor.

"Not far from the location where the elephant carcass was found, two huts belonging to residents that collapsed were suspected of being torn apart by the wildlife," said Samsi Alauddin.