Deaths of Sumatran elephants, poisoning suspected
INDONESIA: Two critically endangered Sumatran elephants were found
dead in an Indonesian national park and it is believed they were
poisoned, the WWF environmental group said Monday.
It takes to three the number of the elephants found dead in Tesso
Nilo National Park on Sumatra island in the last month.
The carcasses of a male aged around five and a young female were
found on Friday about a kilometre (0.6 miles) apart, said WWF
spokeswoman Syamsidar, who goes by one name.
"We believe that the elephants were poisoned as the carcasses were
quite close to each other," she said, adding that autopsies needed to be
conducted before the cause of death could be confirmed.
A Sumatran elephant was discovered dead in the park early last month,
also from suspected poisoning, she added.
Fewer than 3,000 Sumatran elephants remain in the wild, according to
the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Rampant expansion of palm oil and paper plantations and the mining
industry have destroyed nearly 70 percent of the elephant's forest
habitat over 25 years, according to the WWF, and the animals have been
targeted by poachers.
AFP
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