BKSDA Team Treated, 30 Year Old Elephant In Aceh Besar Dies Due To Systemic Infection

The BKSDA medical team and partners treat a female elephant found sick in the Seulawah Valley area (Photo Via Antara)

ACEH - The Aceh Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) said a Sumatran elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus) died of a systemic infection due to untreated wounds in Aceh Besar District.

Head of the Aceh BKSDA Agus Arianto said the elephant was female. The wild elephant was previously found in a weak state due to illness and lying around the Lamtamot Gampong (village) area, Lembah Seulawah District, Aceh Besar District, on February 25, 2022 at around 12.00 WIB.

"The sick elephant was reported by forest security officers from KPH I Aceh Forestry Environment Service. From the report, the BKSDA team, personnel from the Elephant Saree Training Center, and the team from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Syiah Kuala University immediately moved to check and treat the sick elephant," said Agus Arianto. in Banda Aceh, Antara, Tuesday, March 2.

The results of the examination, the elephant is estimated to be approximately 30 years old. The elephant's condition was poor, the body was thin due to malnutrition, and it was weak and had long infected wounds on its abdomen.

"It is suspected that the wound was caused by being hit by a wooden pole. Medical treatment efforts were carried out at the location by giving intravenous fluids, cleaning wounds, giving vitamins, antibiotics, and other medical measures. However, the elephant finally died on February 27, 2022 at 2:58 pm," Agus said. Arianto.

Agus Arianto said the BKSDA medical team together with police personnel partners, village officials, and the local community carried out a necropsy or autopsy on the dead female elephant. As a result, the elephant's death is thought to be a wound infection as a breeding ground for bacteria, so that it spreads throughout the body.

"The infection disrupts the metabolic system which causes organ damage. Some samples in the form of parts such as feces, intestines, intestinal fluid, kidneys, heart, spleen, day, lungs, and tongue were taken for laboratory tests," said Agus Arianto.

Based on the results of the case, said Agus Arianto, there were no suspicious signs or an element of intent in the death of the female wild elephant. Temporary suspicion, the elephant's death is natural due to illness.

Agus Arianto said Sumatran elephants are protected by law. Based on the list of wildlife in the world, the Sumatran elephant is only found on the island of Sumatra which is critically endangered and at high risk of extinction in the wild.

BKSDA urges the community to jointly preserve wildlife, especially the Sumatran elephant by destroying the forest which is their habitat, killing, and other practices that cause elephant death.

"We thank and appreciate the community and parties who reported and assisted and supported the process of handling the findings of the wild elephant carcasses," said Agus Arianto.