Poison Found In The Body Of A Dead Elephant Without A Head In Aceh

PHOTO VIA ANTARA

BANDA ACEH - The Aceh Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA) team together with partners who carried out a necropsy or autopsy of a headless Sumatran elephant (Elephas maximus sumatramus) carcass in East Aceh Regency, found a substance suspected of being poison.

"Based on the necropsy results, we found organ changes in several parts of the digestive tract. We found substances suspected of being toxic," said a member of the BKSDA Aceh animal health team Rosa Rika Wahyuni, in East Aceh, quoted by Antara, Monday, July 12.

However, she said, to determine the exact cause of the male elephant's death, an examination in a forensic laboratory was needed.

"The foreign object found along with a number of samples from the elephant's organs will be sent to the forensic laboratory center. The results of the forensic laboratory test will later determine the type of poison and the content of the poison," said Rosa Rika.

Previously, Aceh BKSDA Head Agus Arianto said the male elephant was found dead in the Jambo Reuhad area, Banda Alam District, East Aceh Regency, Sunday, July 11.

"After we received information from the police that an elephant had died, we immediately dispatched a team to the location. We suspect that the elephant died due to ivory hunting," said Agus Arianto.

According to him, if he saw its physical appearance when it was found, the perpetrators cut off the head of the wild elephant and took it to another place to take the tusk.

"However, this is a provisional assumption. To be sure, an investigation will be carried out at the scene and a necropsy or an autopsy to determine the cause of the elephant's death," said Agus Arianto.

Agus Arianto said that apart from the BKSDA team, the East Aceh Police and the Balai Gakkum of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry also went to the location to investigate the cause of the death of the protected animal.

"We continue to coordinate with the police and Balai Gakkum to determine the cause of death. Temporary suspicion, due to hunting," said Agus Arianto.

Agus Arianto said the Sumatran elephant is a protected wild animal. Based on data from the world nature conservation organization, IUCN, Sumatran elephants are only found on the island of Sumatra. The animal is a critically endangered species and is at high risk of extinction in the wild.

Therefore, the Aceh BKSDA appeals to the community to jointly preserve nature, especially the Sumatran elephant wildlife by not destroying the forest which is their habitat.