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Sabah Wildlife Department via AFP - Getty Images
A baby pygmy elephant stands beside a dead adult in the Gunung Rara Forest Reserve in Malaysia's Sabah state.
Ten endangered pygmy elephants have been found dead in suspicious circumstances in Malaysia, according to reports.
Sen Nathan, head veterinarian at the Gunung Rara Forest Reserve in Sabah state on the island of Borneo, said officials "highly suspect" the animals were poisoned, but tests are still to be carried out to determine whether they were deliberately harmed, BBC News reported.
"It was actually a very sad sight to see all those dead elephants, especially one of the dead females who had a very young calf of about three months old. The calf was trying to wake the dead mother up," he said, according to the BBC.
Nathan added the elephants, aged between four and 20, were believed to be from the same family group.
Malaysia’s The Star newspaper said the first elephant died on Dec. 29 and the last was found on Jan. 24.
The paper reported that the dead animals were found in an area that it described as an “industrial tree plantation.”
The Star said it was not known how the elephants had died, and noted it was possible they had eaten poisonous plants or pesticides.
The BBC cited Masidi Manjun, environmental minister for the Sabah area, as saying it was “a sad day for conservation and Sabah.”
Sabah Wildlife Department via Reuters
Malaysia's wildlife officials inspect a dead pygmy elephant.
Conservation charity WWF runs an “adopt a pygmy elephant” campaign.
According to its website, the animals are found “only on the northeast tip of the island of Borneo, and inhabit forests near water sources and grasslands. “
“Borneo pygmy elephants are smaller than other Asian elephants, chubbier, and have bigger ears and tails,” it said. “They eat roughly 300 pounds of food daily—mostly roots, grasses, leaves, bananas and sugar cane.”
WWF estimates that there are possibly as low as 1,600 individuals in the wild.
“The top threats to pygmy elephants are habitat loss and conflict with humans,” it added.
Related:
Orphaned elephants find sanctuary in Kenya amid rampant poaching
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The human species is nothing more than a invasive bacteria that came to exist on the surface of this beautiful planet. Yes...we are capable of creating many things we think are beautiful. Yes...we are capable behaving in a way we think is positve. But make no mistake...everything we do...is detrimental to this beautiful planet and the beautiful creatures that unfortunately for them...must share it with us. But...as others have said...eventually the planet will reject us. It has begun already...it's only natural it would. Like many types of bacteria...we will "run our course" and our "host" will free itself of us. With time the planet and it's creatures will recover and all evidence of our existence will have eroded away. A shame we couldn't have been a kinder bacteria to our host. The kind that can thrive and last.
Fair is fair, Borneo needs to removed the same percentage of humans.
So 10/1600 = .00625 of elephants.
Borneo needs to remove 116, 187 people for the same vicinity.
Fair is fair.
Definitely a sad photo, indeed. I hope the cause of death can be accurately determined.
Planet Earth has experienced a handful of mass extinctions, where the majority of ALL living things has been wiped out, leaving just a small percentage to evolve and repopulate the earth w/ new species. Humans will be the cause of the next mass extinction, but Earth will go on spinning, and those species fit for longer-term survival will survive and repopulate. That said, we are jerks for trying to decimate a species, especially one as cool as the elephant, before we cause the next mass extinction.
To help orphaned elephants, most of whom have lost their mothers due to poaching, I urge you to foster one (or more!) through the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. I am a foster mother of two and couldn't be happier w/ the organization:
Just more proof of how sick the human race really is! Nothing and I mean nothing is more important than money and greed! Just like a week ago when a family of elephants was killed for there tusks, just like the rhino's that are killed every day just for there horn! Well I wonder, what are all these Pos going to do when they have finally killed off all these beautiful animals for the mighty dollar??? What will be the next species that these low life, scum of the earth POS go too next??? If these POS were to ever be caught, I would be more than happy to be the exacutioner for these dispicable murders, and wouldn't loose one minutes sleep, and that's a damn fact!!!!!
Can we agree that humankind is no friend to animal life? Lack of education and greed combine to remove species from our planet for a few bags of rice, from a backward nation that believes rhino horn is like viagra. Just go buy some Viagra! Leave these beautiful animals some habitat and protections from humans, whose love of killing supercedes the needs of the planet! Poisoning elephants, because you choose to live upon their plains was a stupid idea, and why should the elephants be the ones who must pay, with their lives!
How very sad...When did things begin to "go wrong" on the earth? Six thousand years ago Adam and his wife failed to cultivate love and appreciation for their Creator and all He had given them--a beautiful, delightful paradise with many magnificent animals to enjoy and take care of. They disobeyed a simple test of obedience and selfishly took away the hope of everlasting life for their future offspring. At that time they became rebels with the first Rebel, Satan the Devil, and thus came under his evil, malicious control. In the near future Divine intervention will occur during the war of Armageddon when the present world system will be destroyed...Revelation 11:18 "...and to bring to ruin those ruining the earth."....Proverbs 2:22: "...as regards the wicked, they will be cut off from the very earth, and as for the treacherous, they will be torn away from it."...Psalms 37:29: "The righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it."