Dead Pygmy Elephant In Tawau River Was Shot 70 Times And Had Its Tusks Removed

This was concluded in a post-mortem conducted by a team of vets and wildlife officials, according to a source from the Sabah Wildlife Department, reported The Star.

The poachers were believed to have used semi-automatic guns fired from close range, said the source from the Sabah Wildlife Department.

The elephant was initially thought to be a juvenile female based on earlier photos that went viral last Wednesday, 25 September. However, the confusion could be due to how the carcass was found in the river.

"It was found tied to a riverbank and more than half of the elephant's body was underwater," said the source.

"Which might mean death was instantaneous, if the shot penetrated the skull and decimated the brain."

However, since there are more than 70 gunshot wounds all over, it was hard to determine which shot hit the elephant first.

Sabah Wildlife Department director Augustine Tuuga confirmed that the post-mortem had been completed and said the nature of the elephant's death was cruel.

Anyone found guilty of killing them could be jailed up to five years and charged with a fine of RM250,000.

According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), there are only about 1,500 surviving Borneo pygmy elephants. They are considered the smallest subspecies in size, only reaching a height of up to 3m.

The Borneo Post reported that pygmy elephants are regularly found dead in Borneo, adding to concern about their declining numbers.