Dead Pygmy Elephant In Tawau Was Shot By Plantation Guards And Not Poachers
Police are still investigating the motive behind the killing.
By Arisha Rozaidee — 03 Oct 2019, 12:54 PM
Police have recently discovered that the pygmy elephant which was found dead along Sungai Udin, Tawau was killed by plantation guards and not poachers
According to The Star, police arrested six suspects, including two plantation guards on Wednesday, 2 October.
Investigations revealed that they were responsible for killing the juvenile male animal.
Police believe that the guards intended to keep the elephant away from company grounds
Tawau district police chief Assistant Commisioner Peter Umbuas said, "We believe the elephant was killed because the guards could not keep the animal away. It might have been aggressive."
He added, "We are still unsure whether the plantation company allowed them to kill the elephants."
The dead elephant was found with its tusks removed, but New Straits Times reported that the police had recently recovered the ivory.
ACP Umbuas noted that they have yet to find out whether the killers meant to sell the ivory as investigations are still in the initial stages.
The Sabah Wildlife Department is probing the suspects under the Sabah Wildlife Conservation Enactment for killing a protected species
Meanwhile, police have classified the case under the Firearms Act, including illegal possession of a homemade gun.
They have seized an assortment of legal and illegal firearms from the suspects.
If convicted, they could be imprisoned for up to five years and face a RM250,000 fine.
